Defence Minister Kha­­waja Asif on Monday accused Ali Amin Ganda­pur of “playing a double game”, claiming that his party had also reached a similar conclusion.

Speaking to Geo News, the PML-N stalwart said that groups of PTI supporters who had managed to reach D-Chowk during the protest had lost heart after it emerged that KP CM Gandapur had vanished from the scene.

“Neither their central leadership, nor their Punjab leadership; no secretary, no chairman — it was just a number of workers” who took part in the party’s Islamabad protest, the minister said. He also alleged that most of these people consisted of KP policemen in civilian garb.

Mr Asif claimed that in contrast to the KP CM’s claim, he had actually spent Sunday night at Omar Ayub’s residence in Haripur, which he claimed could be accessed via a road through the Margalla Hills, which leads to Daman-i-Koh.

“Their workers, who were abusing us on social media until yesterday, are now cursing the PTI leadership,” he said, adding that after this disappointment, it would become very difficult for the party to mobilise their support base again.

On Mr Gandapur’s ‘utility’ to party founder Imran Khan, Mr Asif claimed that Mr Khan would never penalise the KP CM as the latter was the messenger between the PTI and the establishment.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...