PTI gives 24-hour ultimatum for release of Gandapur

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has given a 24-hour ultimatum for the release of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, warning that nationwide protests would ensue if he was not released.

Gandapur, who reached Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad on Saturday along with a large number of PTI workers, before disappearing under mysterious circumstances, leaving the workers to protest at D-Chowk all alone.

The PTI claimed that Gandapurwas arrested by the Islamabad police. However, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi categorically denied that he was arrested by the police or in the custody of any other federal institution.

Addressing the conference in Peshawar, PTI leader Asad Qaiser expressed his dismay, stating that there is no precedent in Pakistan’s history where a sitting provincial chief executive has been arrested or “kidnapped.”

He called the arrest regrettable, and the party’s political committee strongly protested, demanding the immediate release of Ali Amin Gandapur.

He urged other political parties to raise their voices, warning that if such actions were taken against PTI today, they could happen to other political parties tomorrow.

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“We will not back down and will go to the last limit,” said Asad Qaiser.

At the same time, the PTI also announced to boycott the National Assembly and Senate proceedings and all standing committees in protest against the proposed constitutional amendment.

Asad Qaiser said: “If attempts are made to push through the constitutional amendment, the party will resist, as such an amendment would trample the basic rights of the people. PTI’s political committee has, therefore, decided to boycott the National Assembly, Senate, and all standing committees to block the passage of the proposed constitutional amendment.

Asad Qaiser said that 1,000 PTI workers were arrested during the Islamabad protest.

He also said that during a raid to arrest Gandapur, damage and destruction was caused to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad.

He said that PTI’s the political committee has decided not to repair the damage caused to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, opting to let it remain as “a part of history”.