MANSEHRA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Friday urged authorities to release incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan unconditionally.

Addressing a public meeting here, Mr Gandapur said founder of his party PTI Imran Khan was “punished” for his principled stand on independent foreign policy, the sanctity of judiciary and supremacy of parliament.

He said all those who abrogated the Constitution would face the severest punishment.

The chief minister said as Mr Imran had lost confidence in the judiciary and establishment, party leadership and workers were waiting for his call to march on Islamabad to secure his release from jail.

“You should realise the sensitivity of the situation and set Imran free before it is too late,” he told authorities.

PTI leaders threaten march on Islamabad

Mr Gandapur criticised former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for acting against Imran’s government.

He urged the establishment to “stop protecting the plunderers of the country’s wealth, who also abrogated the Constitution and undermined the sanctity of the judiciary and parliament.”

The chief minister said the army should protect thecounty’s borders and the PTI leadership and workers would help it fight the enemy in case of aggression.

He warned former chief minister Pervez Khattak against falsely testifying against the PTI founder in the court of law on the “orders of the establishment” and said if that happened, Mr Khattak would face dire consequences, including expulsion from the province.

Mr Gandapur criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over the alleged victimisation of the PTI leaders and workers in the province.

He warned if Ms Maryam didn’t mend her ways, PTI activists from KP would “rescue” the party’s workers in Punjab.

The chief minister also accused the PML-N-led federal government of persecuting his party’s leaders and workers and warned it of severe action.

The other speakers demanded the unconditional release of Mr Imran from jail and warned if that didn’t happen, activists of the PTI and other opposition parties would march on Islamabad.

They invited people to attend a public meeting slated to be held in Islamabad today (Saturday).

Noted among them were opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai and PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Omar Ayub Khan, Asad Qaiser, Azam Khan Swati, Babar Saleem Swati and Ali Mohammad Khan.

Mr Omar alleged that Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi was previously involved in the wheat import scandal and was currently exporting wheat to receive kickbacks.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2024