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Tag: Ali Amin Gandapur

  • ‘Ali Amin Gandapur condemned May 9 incident in yesterday’s in-camera session,’ claims Vawda

    ‘Ali Amin Gandapur condemned May 9 incident in yesterday’s in-camera session,’ claims Vawda

    Senator Faisal Vawda has 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) on Tuesday.

    Appearing on a private news outlet the same day, Vawda, who attended the 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).”

    At least 10 people lost their lives, and over a hundred others sustained injuries in the violent protests on May 9 and May 10. Approximately 40 public buildings and military installations were attacked by rioters. These included the Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House), Askari Tower in Lahore, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the ISI Office in Faisalabad, FC Fort in Chakdara, the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, the Toll Plaza at Swat Motorway, and the Mianwali Air Base.

    On terrorism’s resurgence in KP, former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda further quoted Gandapur as saying, “The KP police stand firm, shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan army,” which it didn’t before.

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

    On the same day, prominent journalist Azaz Syed, speaking on the YouTube channel Talk SHOCK, made similar claims about Gandapur. He maintained that CM KP supported the state policy regarding terrorism in the session. “As the chief executive of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he [Ali Amin Gandapur] spoke positively and talked about engagement [with the state],” the journalist added.

    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.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not attend the session. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, while speaking at a press conference in Islamabad hours before the session, said that their party would skip it until they were given access to the party founder in jail.

    Separately, Imran Khan’s counsel, Faisal Chaudhry, claimed to have held a detailed meeting with the party founder in Adiala Jail. According to him, Khan described the boycott of the PCNS meeting as the right decision.

    “He questioned what kind of consensus the government hopes to achieve by sidelining the country’s largest political party,” Chaudhry said.

  • Faiz Hamid facilitated 600 kanals of land for Imran Riaz, Sher Afzal Marwat says Ali Amin tells him

    Faiz Hamid facilitated 600 kanals of land for Imran Riaz, Sher Afzal Marwat says Ali Amin tells him

    Days after being expelled from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sher Afzal Marwat, citing Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur, claimed that former intelligence chief General Faiz Hamid facilitated more than 600 kanals of land for YouTuber and former TV host Imran Riaz Khan.         

    Speaking to reporters in Islamabad on Friday, the KP firebrand claimed, “Ali Amin Gandapur told me that General Faiz Hamid facilitated more than 600 kanals of land for Imran Riaz in Chakwal, where the latter built a palace, fish ponds, and a horse stable.”

    While raising questions about how Riaz made billions of rupees when he did not even have a motorbike, Marwat remarked, “Ali Amin also told me that he [Riaz] was the confidant of Faiz Hamid,” alleging that the ex-TV host had a close relationship with the intelligence agencies during PTI’s reign.

    “Imran Riaz came to me 10 times seeking a mining contract,” Marwat quoted Gandapur as saying, adding that he found Riaz every time he visited the CM House.

    He further quoted CM KP as saying that, in an “attempt to become a hero” through collusion with agencies, Riaz got arrested.

    Inquiring about how the YouTuber ran away from Pakistan merely with the help of mules, Marwat said that if the government had the intention of not letting Riaz leave, his passport could have been blocked within a minute. “Then how did he reach the United Kingdom?” he questioned, adding that Riaz’s passport was valid.

    Concluding his tirade on the former TV host, Marwat said that he had made a video exposing Riaz’s properties, which he planned to share soon.

    Separately, Marwat, while speaking to a private news channel, claimed that PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja was behind his expulsion from the party.

    He said that Raja became the party’s secretary general through the “influence of powerful individuals”.

    “Non-elected individuals in the party are running the party matters,” he said, asserting that he would respond to those responsible for the propaganda against him.

    It merits a mention that following the instructions of party founder Imran Khan, Marwat was expelled from the party on Wednesday. He was sacked “due to his continuous violations of the party discipline”.

    Riaz, while confirming on his X (formerly Twitter) account last month that he had left the country, wrote, “….I am proud that my Lord granted me steadfastness against every injustice. I have endured the worst torture and terrifying imprisonment. I have been arrested 10 times and faced dozens of cases. I was even forcibly stopped from performing Hajj, but my Lord granted me patience. I have some important responsibilities to fulfil, and I will return to Pakistan soon, InshaAllah.”

    In an interview with the Sherin Zada YouTube channel, Riaz revealed that former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, introduced him to individuals who accompanied him during his escape from the country.

    The former TV host clarified that he had been residing in Swat before leaving Pakistan. Prior to that, he had stayed at safe locations across Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, and Swabi.

  • ‘If you have a gun… I have a gun’: Gandapur quotes The Godfather during army chief meeting

    ‘If you have a gun… I have a gun’: Gandapur quotes The Godfather during army chief meeting

    Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur revealed on Samaa TV’s program last night that he quoted a line from the legendary movie The Godfather during his conversation with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen Asim Munir.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar and CM Gandapur confirmed on January 16 that they met with the Army Chief in Peshawar.

    While discussing security issues with the COAS, CM KP quoted a phrase from The Godfather movie: “If you have a gun in your hand and I have a gun in my hand, so we can talk reasons.”

    It merits a mention that The Godfather, a legendary 20th-century crime film about the Italian mafia, does not have such a quote.

    However, in 2024, an AI-generated audio clip featuring the movie’s protagonist, Marlon Brando (who played the original Godfather), was released on social media, which had a somewhat similar quote.

    The AI-generated audio follows as: “If you hold a gun and I hold a gun, we can talk about the law. If you hold a knife and I hold a knife, we can talk about rules. If you come empty-handed and I come empty-handed, we can talk about reason.”

    Gandapur claims to have told the Army Chief, “We will have to be on board with many policy decisions, while we also need to review those policies that haven’t given us any benefits,” adding that the most significant problem in KP is that people have lost trust in the state. “We need to restore that trust.”

    Interestingly, however, the Chief Minister of KP did not stop with the apparent movie references and went on to quote from Gladiator during his meeting with Gen Asim Munir.

    “I used a quote from Gladiator, ‘If you want to win freedom, win the crowd’. That is what I told the Army Chief that to win this battle, they will have to win the crowd. Any person who knows the dynamics of this area knows what I am talking about. Without the public support in KP, terrorism can not be eliminated,” he said.

    CM KP claimed that the Army Chief responded positively to his opinions and stated, “The Chief said that we should try our best, along with the federal government, to negotiate with the Afghan government. Just to be clear, I am not talking about negotiations with the terrorists, but rather with the Afghan government.”

  • ‘Gandapur likely to be removed as KP CM’

    ‘Gandapur likely to be removed as KP CM’

    Days after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur was removed from the post of provincial party president, journalists seem to have analyzed the fate of his Chief Minister post.

    Prominent journalist Muneeb Farooq took to his YouTube channel on Monday to claim that influential and powerful personalities have emphasised that following Gandapur’s removal from the provincial party president seat, he might be removed from the CM chair too.

    “When I asked powerful persons whether it would be easy to remove Gandapur from the CM chair, they stated that preparations are in full swing to remove Gandapur as provincial chief executive,” Farooq maintained.

    Farooq said that Imran Khan will sideline compromised party leaders. “Imran Khan will prioritise those who dislike the establishment and have no link with them,” he said while referring to the recent appointment of Member National Assembly (MNA) Juniad Akbar Khan as the KP party president and Aliya Hamza as the party’s chief organiser for Punjab.

    Veteran journalist Fakhar Durrani has shared similar insights on his YouTube channel on Sunday about Gandapur’s possible removal as CM.

    He observed that if any PTI lawmaker resigned from the KP assembly in the forthcoming days, then it would be a sign of a new CM in KP.

    Durrani claimed that Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi had a row with CM KP after November 26 protests at Speaker KP Assembly Babar Saleem Swati’s house, noting that she played a major role in Gandapur’s removal from KP party president.

    “Many politicians were barred from meeting Imran Khan on Gandapur’s directive, which ultimately prompted party leaders to raise complaints,” the journalist said.

    Moreover, he claimed that it was not the government that often removed PTI members’ names from a meeting list for Imran Khan, but instead it was Gandapur. “Only Ali Amin’s given names were allowed to visit Imran Khan in jail,” he alleged.

    Recently, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, while speaking outside Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, announced that Akbar will be the new party provincial president

    Raja claimed that Gandapur’s departure from the role was voluntary, allowing him to focus on his responsibilities as chief minister amidst pressing challenges, including law and order issues in the province.

    “This decision aligns with Gandapur’s request, as he wanted to dedicate himself entirely to the governance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” Raja said, noting that Gandapur has a lot of responsibilities as CM of the province.

    “Imran Khan was angry with Ali Amin Gandapur for taking pictures with Mohsin Naqvi [Interior Minister],” Farooq said while referring to the meeting between Mohsin Naqvi and Gandapur in Peshawar after the November 26 protest march.

  • ‘Bushra Bibi got Gandapur removed as PTI’s KP president’

    ‘Bushra Bibi got Gandapur removed as PTI’s KP president’

    Days after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur voluntarily stepped down as the party’s KP president, prominent journalist Fakhar Durrani has claimed it was former first lady Bushra Bibi who got him sacked.

    Last week, the PTI on founder Imran Khan’s advice replaced Gandapur with Member National Assembly (MNA) Junaid Akbar Khan as the party president for KP. Amid speculations surrounding the sudden change on what is deemed to be a key position within the PTI, Durrani, in a video on his YouTube channel, claimed it was the result of a spat between the KP CM and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.

    He claimed that the spat between the two PTI leaders took place in Mansehra after the party’s failed march on Islamabad on November 26.

    “Both stayed at Babar Saleem Sawati’s house in Mansehra where Bushra Bibi allegedly threatened to remove Gandapur from his positions within the party,” the journalist said while referring to when Bushra and Gandapur ditched party workers in the midst of a crackdown in the federal capital.

    The two had then travelled to Mansehra in KP, where the PTI is in power. Reports had claimed that CM Gandapur wanted to relocate the party’s demonstration in line with an unofficial agreement with the government whereas Bushra wanted supporters to continue marching on the capital to press for her husband’s release from jail.

    The rift had also made headlines last week when it was claimed that Gandapur played a pivotal role in securing the prison sentence for Bushra in the Al-Qadir Trust case. Senior journalist and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada had alleged ‘foul play’ at the hands of the KP CM, saying that Bushra’s conviction caught Khan off guard as he had been assured relief for his wife.

    “[…] Gandapur wanted her to get locked up… away from limelight, because she was causing him headaches,” he had said, claiming that the KP CM used his influence to make it happen.

    While there has been no official confirmation on the reported rift between Bushra and Gandapur, PTI Secretary General Raja maintained that the KP CM’s departure from the role of provincial party president was voluntary, allowing him to focus on his responsibilities as CM amid pressing challenges such as law and order. 

    “This decision aligns with Gandapur’s request, as he wanted to dedicate himself entirely to the governance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” Raja said, noting that Gandapur had a lot of responsibilities as the chief executive of the province.

    It merits a mention CM Gandapur was succeeded by Junaid Akbar who was also recently elected chairman of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) unopposed, filling a position left vacant since the general elections in February 2024.

    After being appointed as PTI’s KP president, Akbar issued a statement on X, expressing gratitude. “I am a middle-class person and I got this position because of hard work. Which is not found in other parties [sic],” he wrote.

  • Two PTI leaders met Army Chief: Azaz Syed

    Two PTI leaders met Army Chief: Azaz Syed

    Veteran journalist Azaz Syed revealed that on Wednesday, Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Khan met with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir to discuss a backdoor channel negotiation.

    Azaz broke the news after Gohar, speaking to reporters at Parliament House Islamabad on Wednesday afternoon, dismissed the claims of a meeting with COAS regarding a backdoor channel negotiation.

    “I have not met the army chief […] People are disseminating such news,” he responded with a smile to the question of whether he held a meeting with General Syed Asim Munir.

    When asked if the PTI had often reiterated that it would negotiate with the party that had a solution, Gohar said, “PTI is negotiating with the government. Pray that our dialogues succeed.”

    It should be mentioned here that PTI will submit its two demands to the government negotiations committee in the third round of negotiations, which will take place today in Parliament House.

    The former ruling party’s two demands are the formation of a judicial commission comprising the Supreme Court’s three most senior judges to probe the May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, events, along with the release of the political prisoners.

    Azaz, while speaking on the YouTube channel Talk SHOCK, dismissed the claims that only Barrister Gohar Khan had met with COAS, saying, “Both Barrister Gohar and Ali Amin Gandapur met the army chief.” 

    He stated that Barrister Gohar and CM KP agreed to end the long tussle between the establishment and PTI. “Imran Khan knows about the development,” the journalist added.

    Noting that dialogues between Imran Khan’s founded party and establishment have progressed significantly, Azaz said, “Imran Khan will be sentenced in the Al Qadir Trust case. However, PTI’s hardships have come to an end.”

    COAS, on Monday, had met CM KP, interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and Governor KP Faisal Karim Kundi in Peshawar, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

    “The enemy may try to sow discord and fear, but we will not relent. Hostile elements will be dealt with an iron hand. They will continue to suffer heavy losses, and their capacity to inflict harm will be decimated,” the COAS added.

    “Through their dedication, courage, and supreme sacrifices, we have successfully degraded the operational capabilities of terrorist organisations, both within our borders and beyond. Our forces have relentlessly pursued and eliminated key terrorist leaders, dismantled their infrastructure, and neutralised their cells, sending a clear message that terror has no place in our land,” he said.

  • I don’t disown my people who made mistakes on May 9: Ali Amin Gandapur

    I don’t disown my people who made mistakes on May 9: Ali Amin Gandapur

    Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ali Amin Gandapur, stated in an interview on ARY News that he does not disown Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers who made “mistakes,” referring to their involvement in the May 9 events.

    “There are many of our [PTI] people who were uninformed or made mistakes, but I never disown them. They were my people. They were our party’s workers,” stated the CM KP.

    Programme host Waseem Badami then asked Gandapur whether he believed those individuals should be punished or forgiven, to which Gandapur replied, “It is straightforward. Whatever the law says, the punishment should be according to the crime committed. 

    “I own them because if my worker has crossed a red line for any reason, whether it is ignorance, immaturity or emotions, there is a relative punishment in the law for crossing that line. That lawful punishment should be given to them.”

    The Chief Minister, however, asserted that fairness does not justify unjust punishments, which must not be handed out to innocent people.

    Badami also asked why Gandapur and his party did not publicly apologise for the May 9 accused if he accepted that they were “his people. “

    CM KP replied with a stern expression, recalling that “my leader,” Imran Khan, had stated he was ready to be arrested. However, the manner of his arrest by the Rangers on May 9, 2023, within the court premises, was bound to provoke a reaction.

    He added, “He is an internationally renowned leader, and they broke the windows, grabbed Imran Khan by the collar in front of everyone, and dragged him to the vehicle. This was a deliberate provocation, playing with the emotions of the people. It’s natural that, in such a protest, some individuals might cross a few lines. But does that mean they should be labelled as terrorists?”

    As many as 25 civilians allegedly involved in the May 9 riots were sentenced by the military courts in December 2024. The sentences ranged from two to ten years and were handed out following the civilians’ court martial.

    Previously, the seven-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court on December 13 had allowed military courts to announce the decision of under custody civilians about the May 9 incidents.

    “On May 9, the nation witnessed politically provoked violence and arson at multiple places, marking a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan,” announced the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) following the military courts’ verdict.

  • We can respond with weapons too: Gandapur warns in fiery speech

    We can respond with weapons too: Gandapur warns in fiery speech

    Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur gave yet another fiery speech in his first address to the KP Assembly after an unsuccessful party march towards Islamabad saying, “We have fire and ammunition and we can respond with weapons too,” the Premier of the province said. 

    PTI supporters on social media are angry and disappointed with party leaders for abandoning workers in D-Chowk when security forces started their crackdown on November 26.

    Around midnight, the media reported that Gandapur and Imran Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi, escaped from the capital and went towards Peshawar.

    Since then, PTI has claimed that the security forces opened fire on the protestors leading to multiple fatalities – a claim the government denies.

    “Be wary of that day if we reply to fire with fire and to ammunition with ammunition; if we abandon peace slogans because we have weapons too. We can take our rights that way as well. Listen to this as well, we do not care about powerful chairs that you could scare us with the threat of Governor Raj. I challenge you to impose Governor Rule here and see if you can stay here,” he challenged.

    After Gandapur led the caravan from KP towards Peshawar for its “final call,” rumours quickly spread that the federal government was mulling imposing Governor’s rule in KP.

    Ali Amin Gandapur warned the federal government that PTI cannot be “intimidated” by such actions as tensions grow following the late-night crackdown against protesters in Islamabad.

    “Release Imran Khan as soon as possible or we will respond to bullets with bullets and then you will see what happens, and you will be responsible for whatever happens,” warned CM KP in his address to the provincial assembly. 

    The CM also addressed the soldiers of the Pakistan Army, saying, “You must see your children at home, what would their mother think if this happened to them? Allah bestows rizq to every human being, but what you have done for a job, you will not find peace in this world and in this world! Today I pray to Allah that you [soldiers] may find yourself in such pain and hurt that you become an example in history for Allah’s justice in the world who oppressed the people.”

    “Let it not happen that we start feeling comfort in killing you. Release Imran Khan, otherwise we have a meeting, prepare a strategy, if we don’t get rights, we will kill for them,” concluded Gandapur.

    Gandapur has been heavily criticised by party workers and followers for the perception that he is in touch with the establishment. Party followers tweeted and posted on other social media platforms against Gandapur, dismayed at him leaving party workers on D Chowk while he and Bushra Bibi got passage to safety.

  • PTI’s protest ongoing, will continue till Imran Khan calls it off: Gandapur

    PTI’s protest ongoing, will continue till Imran Khan calls it off: Gandapur

    Hour after fleeing from Islamabad to Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur has broken silence over the abrupt end to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) “decisive” protest in the federal capital, saying that the “sit-in will continue” until party founder Imran Khan calls it off.

    “This is not just a political demonstration but a fight for our fundamental rights,” CM Gandapur said while addressing party workers and media persons in Mansehra on Wednesday.

    PTI had on late Tuesday night called off its Islamabad sit-in “for the time being” after violent clashes with law enforcement.

    “In view of the government’s brutality and plan to turn the capital into a slaughterhouse for unarmed citizens, [we] announce the suspension of the peaceful protest for the time being,” PTI’s official X (formerly Twitter) account said in a press release on Wednesday morning.

    In his maiden public appearance following the developments, CM Gandapur accused the government of oppressive actions against PTI supporters and highlighted the “illegal detentions”, “uncalled for violence against peaceful demonstrators” and restrictions on freedom of assembly.

    He also claimed that hundreds of his party workers were killed during the grand clearance operation in Islamabad.

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar had, however, on Tuesday night said that “no bodies fell in the operation”. Government officials and ministers have also alleged that PTI protesters caused severe damage to public and government property in Islamabad.

    Addressing media persons, CM Gandapur also complained that whenever his party announced a rally or procession, they were denied permission. “Even the courts are not providing justice,” he said.

    “When we approach courts for justice, we don’t get justice, nor do we get the floor of the parliament that is against the sanctity of the House. Our only option to deliver our message is to protest if we are not allowed to hold public gatherings,” Gandapur added.

    He claimed that the government was involved in direct attacks on him and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi during the protest, and called out the federal government by saying that they had “broken Pakistan once before” and were “doing so again”.

    “Our province knows how to secure its mandate, it knows how to claim its rights, and it knows how to protect its people.”

    The government had on Tuesday night launched a grand operation starting from D-Chowk in Islamabad to end PTI’s protest campaign. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Tarar at around 2 am addressed media persons to announce that the government had successfully quashed the demonstrations that continued for three days.

  • FACT CHECK: Did PTI workers stop Ali Amin Gandapur from ‘fleeing’ on Nov 24?

    FACT CHECK: Did PTI workers stop Ali Amin Gandapur from ‘fleeing’ on Nov 24?

    A video of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has circulated on social media, showing party followers surrounding him and preventing him from leaving.

    The video has been claimed to be from the November 24 PTI protests, but journalists assert it is old.

    In the video, Gandapur can be heard urging party workers to let him go to the rest area for ablution, pledging to return after offering prayers.

    PTI followers blocked Gandapur’s car, fearing that the KP CM might escape from the scene, as he had done during recent protests.

    Last month, Ali Amin Gandapur disappeared from KP House in Islamabad, leaving thousands of party workers behind, only to suddenly appear before the KP provincial assembly in the evening.

    “We will go, Adiala,” a party follower can be heard replying to Gandapur.

    The video quickly gained attention, with netizens trolling Gandapur, claiming he wanted to escape to KP again.

    However, the video is old, and many journalists have since apologised for sharing it.

    Journalist Waseem Abbasi corrected himself after sharing the old video clip, noting he had been informed that the video of Gandapur arguing with party workers was from a previous incident, and he deleted the post accordingly.