‘Missing’ Gandapur returns to applause in KP Assembly – Pakistan

The session finally started after a delay of five hours, with KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati in the chair. Earlier, the session had been rescheduled to begin at 2pm.

Meanwhile, around 300 PTI supporters reached the KP Assembly and started sloganeering and demanding Gandapur’s “release.” Some of them protested outside the building, while others chanted slogans from the public gallery.

Speaker Swati began the session by requesting that PTI workers in the gallery refrain from sloganeering and hooting, given the context of the meeting.

“It is very important to discuss the events of the last two days with great attention,” he said. “We have convened this session to resolve a serious issue. There will be no sloganeering and members from both sides will speak and be heard.”

He added that the police “attacked” the KP house and allegedly broke the doors of the CM and speakers’ rooms, causing damage.

“They (police) misbehaved with the families of parliamentarians and used rubber bullets and shells,” he said.

KP Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi acknowledged that an “unprecedented” event had taken place in the last two days, putting forward a resolution requesting that Gandapur be presented within 24 hours. The resolution was unanimously passed.

“The role of the leader of the house is final and essential,” Afridi said. “The federal interior minister and KP governor allegedly abducted the CM. The Assembly demands that the speaker request a report from law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies and federal government representatives on the CM’s disappearance.”

The speaker directed that the KP Chief Secretary, KP inspector general of police (IGP) and the chief minister’s principal secretary appear in the assembly tomorrow (Monday) for an in-person briefing.

“We need to know the whereabouts of the KP chief minister as well as a briefing on the events within KP House,” he said. “They will deliver this briefing in this chamber.”

Meanwhile, PTI MPA Dr Amjad Ali recounted the events of the last 48 hours.

“On Friday, on the orders of Imran Khan, the PTI led a peaceful rally towards Islamabad. Our peaceful protest led by CM Gandapur left for Islamabad. All the (security) agencies knew that our people were not armed with illegal weapons that warranted any action,” he maintained.

“Blockades were put up at Attock and motorways, which have been made with the taxpayers’ money, were dug up or blocked with containers.”

He added that when the protesters crossed Attock Bridge, they shelled them with tear gas and live rounds.

“Many were injured, our medical teams administered first aid,” Amjad said. “Throughout the night until 8:30am, they were shelled with tear gas at Burhan Interchange as if they were terrorists.

“KP House is the only base we have in Islamabad, it is as important as GHQ or Coprs Commander House is to the establishment,” Amjad said.

“The Islamabad police and Rangers illegally raided KP House and detained the KP CM who is still missing,” the MPA said that the illegal detention of a sitting chief executive was unprecedented. “Nothing like this has ever happened in our history.”

On the other hand, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi refuted rumours about Gandapur’s alleged arrest, stating that he was neither in police nor any other institution’s custody. He also said that the government had “evidence of the PTI leader running from his residence.”

“I don’t know why he ran and for what reason,” the interior minister said today while speaking to the media in Islamabad.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said that the CM was nowhere to be found and even the PTI workers were looking for their leader.

“A drama is being created in the provincial assembly,” Kundi said while speaking in Islamabad, adding that given there are cameras everywhere, there must be some video evidence of the CM’s alleged “abduction”.

“Since yesterday, he has gone into self-hiding. He is enjoying it,” he said.

PTI’s political committee, while criticising the “disappearance” of the chief minister, warned that there would be “serious repercussions” if Gandapur was arrested.

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan earlier informed the media that the protest was initially planned for one day, but due to the crackdown on demonstrators, the PTI had decided to extend its protest.

Former National Assembly speaker and senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser also told Dawn that PTI’s political committee had decided to continue the protest until they received a clear directive from Imran Khan to end it.