PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Wednesday disclosed that his passport had been blocked since May 9, 2023, so he couldn’t travel to Afghanistan for holding peace talks with the interim Afghan government.

The disclosure came after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan, in a tweet on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), directed Mr Gandapur to visit Afghanistan and hold discussions with authorities regarding “mutual issues and peace and security to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.”

Besides Mr Imran, a multi-party consultative meeting hosted by Mr Gandapur on Feb 15 also underscored the importance of talks with Afghanistan at government level to establish peace in the country and demanded the formation of a jirga comprising religious and political figures for the purpose.

Talking to reporters after the “authentication” ceremony for the Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, 2025, on the premises of the provincial assembly here, the chief minister said he tried to renew his passport but authorities refused to do so, saying it was blocked after the May 9, 2023, riots.

Complains he is not allowed to meet Imran in jail

He said he wanted to formally speak to the members of the interim Afghan government about peace and security and that it was still being worked upon.

Mr Gandapur, however, said it was beyond the provincial government’s mandate to hold national level talks with Afghan authorities.

“My requests for meetings with the PTI founder in jail are being declined. They [authorities] do not allow me to meet him, but let this message reach Mr Khan through the media that I will go to Afghanistan without a visa if Khan orders so,” he said.

Earlier, Speaker of the KP Assembly Babar Saleem Swati said his leader and PTI founder Imran Khan believed in the rule of the law.

He said assemblies were always run by the opposition as it pointed out issues and the treasury responded to them.

The speaker also thanked his National Assembly counterpart, Ayaz Sadiq, and all those involved in the framing of new rules of business.

He said the nation got independence but couldn’t “challenge and rectify the laws enacted during the colonial era.”

Mr Swati said anyone who considered any law unjustified could write to the petition committee, which would, through the standing committees, table laws in the assembly for changes.

“We will review all laws and will update everything,” he said, thanking the chief minister and cabinet members for their all-out support for smooth legislative business.

On the occasion, Mr Gandapur said that the rules of business were amended and that the reforms would benefit the entire province.

He said strong institutions could help a strong country.

“Lawmakers must try to come up with something that people remember, something that earns you a positive name. I have observed that what we discuss in the house is mostly about point scoring and criticising others instead of resolving issues,” he said.

The chief minister said that the house, meant for legislation, was also focusing on people’s development.

He wondered if a nation, under debt, could take its own decisions.

“Laws are enacted but not implemented. Once they’re implemented, it will help resolve issues,” he said.

On the occasion, provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi appreciated the role of the provincial assembly’s speaker and Deputy Speaker Suraya Bibi in efficiently running the rules committee. He was also all praise for the incumbent and previous members of the assembly, law department, assembly secretariat and office of the advocate general for the purpose.

“Let’s take this province in the right direction. Mr Speaker and the chief minister, let’s work together, jointly resolve the issues for peace and development of the province,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the provincial assembly Dr Ibadullah said that being a political worker, it was a historical day for political workers. He appreciated Mr Swati’s role for running the house according to the traditions and hoped the chief minister also behaved like the Speaker KP Assembly.

He said that man-made laws could be improved anytime and that the most important change in the rules was strengthening the house’s committees.

The event was also attended by former speakers, deputy speakers and current and former members of the assembly along with civil society members.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2025