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Tag: Ali Amin Gandapur

  • Mohsin Naqvi spoke to Field Marshal for Imran Khan’s release: Gandapur

    Mohsin Naqvi spoke to Field Marshal for Imran Khan’s release: Gandapur

    Former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, has said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi made more efforts than anyone else for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and to resolve all matters related to him. 

    Speaking during a televised interview, Gandapur said, “Mohsin Naqvi has made more efforts than anyone else to ensure Imran Khan is released and the issue is resolved. Can you believe it?” He added that he is stating this on air and under oath that Naqvi tried to have the matter settled.


    Gandapur acknowledged that there had been grievances in the past. “He had wronged us as well, and yes, we were also angry about it.” he said, referring to actions taken against him. 

    When asked whether he and Mohsin Naqvi could still play a role in resolving the issue, Gandapur said he no longer maintains contact and is not in that position anymore. He stated that outcomes ultimately rest with Allah.

    He claimed that Mohsin Naqvi is the only one who can speak directly in front of Field Marshal General Asim Munir. Gandapur said he has not seen anyone else in the system speak for Khan in his presence.


    Responding to a question on whether Naqvi discussed Khan’s release with the Field Marshal, Gandapur said the discussions that took place were positive in nature and that Naqvi raised the matter at that level as well. He added that he has not observed similar courage from others.

  • Court issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Ali Amin Gandapur

    Court issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Ali Amin Gandapur

    An Islamabad court has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur in a liquor and weapons recovery case.

    Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hassan heard the case at the Islamabad District and Sessions Court. Despite the case being heard, Gandapur did not appear before the court. The judge issued his non-bailable arrest warrant due to repeated absences.

    The court directed the police to arrest Gandapur and present him at the next hearing. 

    The case has been adjourned until October 28.

    The liquor and weapons recovery case against Ali Amin Gandapur is registered at the Bhara Kahu police station in Islamabad.

  • PTI nominee sweeps KP CM election amid Opp boycotts

    PTI nominee sweeps KP CM election amid Opp boycotts

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) nominee Sohail Afridi has been elected as the new chief minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), securing 90 votes amid opposition boycotts over an “unconstitutional” election.

    As per the details, KP Speaker Babar Saleem Swati announced Afridi’s victory as the leader of the house, confirming that the election was held in accordance with constitutional provisions. He said that the province needed a chief executive elected legally.

    Before the voting session, outgoing CM Gandapur addressed the assembly, offering his congratulations to Afridi and saying that the PTI’s political struggle would persist under the leadership of party founder Imran Khan.

    He reiterated that he had resigned at Khan’s directive and urged for an uninterrupted democratic process. Gandapur further mentioned that all actions taken during his time in office were documented and subject to scrutiny.

    Opponents, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), declined to participate in the voting process. Opp leader Dr Ibadullah, alongside Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Akram Durrani of JUI-F, exited the assembly before voting commenced.

    Ibadullah said that the election was unconstitutional, asserting that Gandapur remained the rightful CM. “Electing another chief minister while one is still in office is illegal. We cannot partake in this unconstitutional act,” he remarked.

    It may be noted that he was referring to the ongoing tussle between Gandapur and KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi regarding the validity of the former’s resignation.

    Governor Kundi had previously returned Gandapur’s resignation, questioning the authenticity of his signature, and had summoned him to the Governor House on October 15 for verification. 

    In a post on X, Gandapur said that the governor’s office had already acknowledged his resignation submitted on October 8 and that both his letters, dated October 8 and October 11, bore his genuine signatures.

    Earlier, the KP Assembly Secretariat confirmed that the nomination papers of four candidates, namely PTI’s Sohail Afridi, JUI-F’s Maulana Lutfur Rehman, PML-N’s Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf and PPP’s Arbab Zarak Khan, had been received but only Afridi’s candidacy proceeded due to the opposition’s boycott.

    With Afridi’s election, the PTI has regained control of the provincial setup, even though doubts still linger regarding the legality of the transition and the status of Gandapur’s resignation.

  • CM Gandapur reiterates resolve for Imran Khan’s ‘honourable release’

    CM Gandapur reiterates resolve for Imran Khan’s ‘honourable release’

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday vowed to do whatever it takes for the “honourable release” of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, describing himself as “a rebel against the system” which, he alleged, had “unjustly imprisoned” the party leader.

    Speaking at a public gathering in Paharpur Sports Stadium after leading a massive rally from Al-Amin House, the chief minister said the Constitution and law gave them the right to reclaim their mandate, and that they were prepared to “take bullets on the chest” in their struggle.

    Hundreds of vehicles participated in the protest, which was part of the PTI’s August 14 protest movement. Supporters greeted the rally at several points along the way.

    During his address, Gandapur accused the state of engaging in “oppression” since May 9, 2023, claiming that despite being arrested and subjected to violence, PTI supporters have remained steadfast in their support of the party. “We will not commit suicide, we will fight. Those who shoot at us will face the same,” he declared.

    He criticised the state for waging “war against its own people” and stressed that peace was essential for development. “If people have taken up arms, the state also bears responsibility,” he remarked, adding that while terrorism must be eradicated, the government should avoid oppressing citizens.

    The chief minister also underscored the cultural ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling for improved relations, and announced that Paharpur would be granted district status.

  • ‘He took off his shoe’; Senior journalist narrates Imran’s reaction on Gandapur conveying offer to him

    ‘He took off his shoe’; Senior journalist narrates Imran’s reaction on Gandapur conveying offer to him

    Senior journalist Sohail Warraich has claimed that incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan had been offered a transfer from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to his residence in Banigala.

    “I am 100 per cent sure that he [Imran Khan] was offered to shift to Banigala, accept the system and stay silent, to which he did not agree,” Warraich said on a podcast with journalist Mansoor Ali Khan. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur had relayed this offer to Imran Khan, upon which the latter “took off his shoe”.

    It may be noted that Warraich did not reveal any further details; however, Khan’s alleged reaction is being decoded by pundits who say it was rooted in his decision to not strike a deal and how he felt about CM Gandapur conveying him one.

    Earlier in January, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, claimed that authorities had offered the former prime minister a deal to move him from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to his residence in Banigala.

    She later confirmed that the offer was reportedly conveyed through CM Gandapur. Aleema alleged that her brother was repeatedly asked to remain silent in exchange for the transfer.

    Days after her remarks, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while speaking at an event in Sialkot, had termed the claims as baseless. “No such proposal has been made, nor is there any pressure for his release,” he had stated.

    Asif clarified that the government had no involvement in decisions regarding Imran Khan’s detention or relocation, stressing that such matters are solely within the judiciary’s jurisdiction.

    “Imran Khan’s future will be decided by the courts, not by the government. I have no connection with the judiciary and am certainly not a fortune-teller to predict court outcomes,” he maintained.

  • CM Gandapur vows to expose India-sponsored terrorism after FATF debacle

    CM Gandapur vows to expose India-sponsored terrorism after FATF debacle

    A day after India submitted Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur’s recent remarks regarding the alleged support of certain extremist groups by “institutions” to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as evidence against Islamabad, he vowed to expose India’s role in sponsoring terrorism in the country.

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Indian government has used the chief minister’s statement to back its allegations that Pakistan supports terrorist elements, officials of FATF confirmed.

    The Indian submission specifically references Gandapur’s remarks made late in July following an All-Parties Conference (APC) in Peshawar, in which he alleged, “We arrest the Taliban, but our own institutions get them released, claiming they are their people.”

    “Now they (Good Taliban) have come again. Please, these ‘Good Taliban’ are not acceptable and if you really want to keep them, give them uniforms, and send them to [Indian illegally occupied] Kashmir,” he had said.

    The remarks, which elicited criticism in Pakistan, are now being used by New Delhi to request Islamabad’s re-inclusion on the FATF’s “increased monitoring” list, commonly known as the grey list.

    Indian authorities have argued that the public admission by the chief minister shows that Pakistan’s institutions continue to aid and protect terrorist elements.

    Media reports quoted the FATF officials as saying that New Delhi framed the statement as a formal “charge sheet” against Islamabad, especially underscoring KP as a region gravely affected by terrorism and militancy.

    According to media reports, Gandapur, in a statement, said that India submitted his statement to the global anti-money laundering watchdog “out of context”.

    “India has always been involved in terrorism in Pakistan and the region,” the Chief Minister said, noting that he was writing a letter to FATF to expose Indian actions in Kashmir.

    He said the people and Pakistan’s forces were making unprecedented sacrifices to uproot terrorism from the country. 

    “My message to Modi [Indian prime minister] is that we are united to defend Pakistan,” Gandapur said, warning that India was attempting to get Pakistan grey-listed again by “constructing a false narrative.”

    After being placed on FATF’s grey list in 2018, Pakistan was taken off the list in 2022.

  • Fact Check: Viral clip of Gandapur’s cold response to Swat tragedy is misattributed

    Fact Check: Viral clip of Gandapur’s cold response to Swat tragedy is misattributed

    A short video clip of Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur is circulating on social media platforms with the claim that he responded very coldly to the recent tragedy in Swat caused by devastating flash flood, which claimed 11 lives.

    “I’m not going there to give them any tents. Chief Minister Gandapur’s shocking response,” the caption of the widely shared clip reads. The viral video can be seen here.

    17 members of the same family, residents of Sialkot, were caught by a rapid surge in water flow while picnicking by the riverbank in Swat on Friday morning. As the water flow increased substantially within minutes, several individuals were swept away.

    The death toll from the incident rose to 11 on Saturday after rescue teams recovered the body of another child, Rescue 1122 has confirmed.

    Search operations are still ongoing to locate the two individuals who remain missing. Four people were rescued during the initial response Yesterday.

    Is the CM’s statement related to Friday’s tragedy in Swat?

    The Current investigated the origin and context of the widely shared clip, unearthing that the clip was shared on social media to create an impression that the statement was made in the context of Friday’s tragedy in Swat.

    On June 26 at 4:40 pm, a day before the incident, Gandapur spoke to the media at Rawalpindi, flanked by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Omar Ayub Khan and Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz, about measures that the provincial government has taken to counter the menace of floods in KP.

    When asked about the government’s preparedness for the potential threat of floods in KP due to heavy rainfall, the chief minister said that the government has taken action when any flood had hit in the past.

    “There is a proper administration and governance system that is always working [to counter the emergency situation in KP]. It is not necessary that I should be sitting there or that I have to give them tent myself,” he explained.

    Conclusion: CM Gandapur’s remark has no connection to Friday’s tragedy in Swat. His statement is being quote-mined and misattributed. For the Urdu version, the fact check can be seen here.

  • Gandapur urges party leader to avoid criticism that hurts jailed Imran Khan

    Gandapur urges party leader to avoid criticism that hurts jailed Imran Khan

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has urged members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to avoid making any statements that could potentially harm jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    Speaking at an event organised by the Lahore High Court (LHC) Bar today (Thursday), Gandapur delivered a fiery speech, saying, “I want to say one thing to PTI: do not level any criticism that harms your cause or your leader.”

    Advising his party members to unite and confront their opponents, he said, “As we say in Pashto: either I’ll break my head or I’ll break the mountain. We are nearing victory. Imran Khan will be among us very soon. Imran Khan is the voice of the nation. Nobody dares to suppress his voice.”

    The CM, while alleging that last year’s election was rigged, said, “The rigging in the 2024 elections is proof that they [the establishment] don’t want elected representatives; they want selected ones.”

    Gandapur emphasised, “We have ended corruption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and collected the money,” claiming, “KP is the richest province of Pakistan today.”

    He added that Imran Khan is willing to negotiate—not for himself, but for the sake of Pakistan—and questioned how long the former prime minister would remain imprisoned. “He wants the rule of law in the country,” Gandapur stated.

    His remarks came a week after senior PTI leader Azam Khan Swati claimed that the party founder, Imran Khan, had agreed to hold negotiations.

    Speaking to reporters outside an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Swati said that Khan is deeply concerned about the country’s future and the well-being of future generations.

    “The entire nation now stands with the PTI founder,” he stated, adding that any dialogue that takes place would be productive once it begins.

    However, following Swati’s statement regarding negotiations, PTI distanced itself, with the party’s Secretary General, Salman Akram Raja, stating that such actions are not sanctioned by the party leadership.

    “The claims of a deal between Azam Swati and the establishment have no connection with PTI. He is speaking in his personal capacity,” said Raja.

  • Imran Khan agrees to ‘negotiating with establishment’: report

    Imran Khan agrees to ‘negotiating with establishment’: report

    Jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan has agreed to “negotiating with the establishment”, and in this regard, assigned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur as well as KP government adviser Barrister Saif the responsibility of seeing it through.

    Reports quoted sources as saying that the development came after CM Gandapur and Saif convinced the incarcerated leader to engage in talks with the establishment, and the potential negotiations would remain confidential until any progress was made. A second meeting between Khan and Gandapur is expected in the coming days.

    It may be noted that the claims come a day after the KP chief executive, who was earlier reported to be the messenger between the jailed ex-PM and establishment, met Khan at Adiala Jail on Wednesday after over a month. The meeting continued for two and a half hours as the two leaders discussed institutional confrontations and criticism of party leadership on social media. CM Gandapur also briefed Khan on provincial matters.

    Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram has dismissed reports about the meeting, saying that false claims were being circulated. “No one went to convince the PTI founder to negotiate,” he told a private media outlet, rubbishing claims that Khan had tasked anyone with talks.

    He condemned efforts to twist facts for the government’s benefit and clarified that Khan’s discussion with Gandapur revolved around provincial government and party-related matters.

    “Gandapur will present Khan’s directives before the party’s political committee,” Akram added.

    Days earlier, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar had also dismissed speculations about a deal with the establishment, clarifying that the party had “simply reestablished contacts”.

    It is pertinent to note that this isn’t the first time PTI-establishment talks have been reported, as they were also speculated in January following a meeting between Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and top PTI leadership.

    Said reports have repeatedly drawn mixed reactions from party workers and the general public alike over confusion within PTI quarters over its policy towards the government amid rhetoric hitting out at state institutions.

    The divide has also repeatedly been highlighted by political analysts, who maintain that the contradictory statements by different leaders of the troubled party only further tarnish its image following a countrywide crackdown rooted in “politics of agitation”.

    The PTI, on the other hand, continues to plead innocence. It also says that jailed Khan has the final say on all party-related matters.

  • Ali Amin Gandapur calls Faisal Vawda ‘comedian’, ‘lowly person’

    Ali Amin Gandapur calls Faisal Vawda ‘comedian’, ‘lowly person’

    Days after Senator Faisal Vawda claimed that Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the May 9 incident during an in-camera session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), Gandapur retaliated by calling Vawda a “comedian” and “lowly person.”

    Appearing on a private news outlet on Wednesday, Vawda, who attended the PCNS’s in-camera session, quoted Gandapur as saying, “Ap un ko sazain dain, wo gumrah ho gaye thy [punish them [rioters] as they had been misguided].”

    Declaring CM KP’s statement in the session as “positive and optimistic,” Vawda emphasised that Gandapur’s approach deserves appreciation.

    The in-camera meeting was held on Tuesday as Pakistan grapples with a resurgence of terrorism, particularly in KP and Balochistan, with security forces and law enforcement agencies facing increasingly frequent attacks.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Asim Malik, chief ministers of all four provinces, including Gandapur, and other top officials attended the in-camera session of PCNS in Islamabad. However, the opposition’s biggest party, PTI, did not participate in the meeting.

    Speaking to reporters on Friday, CM KP urged officials to not summon Faisal Vawda to any high-profile meeting. “I will not attend a meeting where such a lowly and unreasonable person is present,” he said.

    He went on to claim that Vawda is a “comedian”. 

    “He’s just a comedian. I know him—he was in our party and was the first to run away. He is a coward and a disgraceful person.”

    On being asked about whether the PTI is currently in contact with the establishment regarding the release of party founder Imran Khan, Gandapur replied that there is not a single legitimate case on Imran Khan, adding that the latter is being forcibly incarcerated.

    When asked, “Imran Khan was in favor of negotiations with the Taliban. Do you think negotiations should take place with the Taliban, or is a military operation the only solution,” CM KP said that the whole world has recognised the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

    “There is a 2,200 km border between one of our provinces and Afghanistan. If you do not negotiate with them, how will matters be resolved,” CM KP questioned, adding that he fully supports negotiations with the Taliban and believes that a solution can be found through dialogue.