Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur said on Wednesday that he was part of the panel nominated by founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan authorised to hold dialogue with the military establishment.
“We won’t keep anything [regarding negotiations with the establishment] secret,” Mr Gandapur told reporters after attending a Labour Day event at a hotel in Peshawar.
“Imran Khan formed a committee and gave us permission to hold talks with the establishment,” he said.
He also said he is happy to see Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Mulana Fazlur Rehman speaking the truth about election rigging.
He also criticised in a sarcastic way that the JUI-F chief was part of almost every government, therefore, he will reveal secrets.
He stated that Fazl first claimed that he ousted Imran Khan’s government but later blamed former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for it, so he should speak more about it.
Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Amin Gandapur has threatened to take over the capital city of the country if the KP government does not get its rights.
While addressing a ceremony on PTI’s foundation day on Thursday, he also declared Imran Khan innocent and said that the PTI founder has not done any illegal acts during his government.
“People who are in power should be in jail,” he thundered, adding that “they stole mandates in the February 8 elections.”
He said in a threating tone that “No one in this country can keep PTI founder Imran Khan in jail anymore.”
He stated that PTI is not issuing a call for protests across the country because “we care about the people of Pakistan.”
On April 17, social media was in an uproar with the news of Advisor to the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Mashal Yousafzai requesting the government for luxury cars worth more than Rs 27 million on provincial government’s expenditure.
Social media users were quick to criticise the move as the government is implementing austerity measures due to poor economic environment.
Geo News reported on the issue, led by their Peshawar reporter Nadia Saboohi who sent Yousafzai messages on whatsapp to ask about her version. Soon after Geo reported on the story, Yousafzai alleged in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Saboohi tried to extort money from her and when Yousafzai refused to give in, ‘propaganda’ was done against her.
The Current spoke with Saboohi to find out what happened.
“I had access to the document detailing the request for luxury cars, but since there are many fake documents on social media, I waited to get a confirmation from the relevant authorities about the authenticity of the document,” Saboohi said over the phone. “After the document was authenticated by proper authorities, I reached out to advisor sahiba for an explanation and her point of view.”
Interestingly, according to the document, Yousafzai had asked for a Toyota Fortuner for herself, listed at a price of over Rs. 1.7 crore and a KIA Sportage for her secretary worth Rs. 73 lakhs.
DOCUMENT
Saboohi remarked that she simply asked the advisor for her perspective, saying that she also asked if the move was wise in such a difficult economic climate, adding that “Even advisor sahiba’s own department has not paid seven to eight hundred employees their salaries.”
Saboohi also pointed out that the Chief Minister of KP Ali Amin Gandapur, implemented an austerity program and no government official is allowed to get any new cars or go abroad for medical treatment.
“In the beginning of our conversation, advisor sahiba flatly denied the existence of any such summary,” Saboohi recalled, “When she was sent the document, she changed her statement and said, ‘This summary is from March 29 and I stopped it.’”
When Geo News broke the story, it went viral, generating immense backlash against Yousafzai. The advisor then tweeted that she had taken back the request for luxury cars.
TWEET
But the issue did not die down. Yousafzai took to X again and criticised the journalist and posted a serious allegation on X against Saboohi.
‘You’re taking money from the ‘boys’ and Muazzam Butt,” read Yousafzai’s tweet.
She also posted screenshots of the conversation she had with the journalist and revealed Saboohi’s phone number to the public. However, in the screenshots posted in her tweet, there is no evidence that Saboohi had extorted money from the advisor.
Yousafzai later deleted the tweet.
Deleted Tweet
“I made it clear to advisor sahiba that, being a journalist, I have no interest in taking sides,” Saboohi said. “I also told her that I have no personal grudge against you but the story was important to break because given the tough socio-economic environment the people of KP are facing, people deserved to know that luxury vehicles might be purchased using taxpayers’ money.”
According to Saboohi, Yousafza has issues within her own party, specifically with senior advocate Muazzam Butt in Insaf Lawyers Forum. Butt was also mentioned in the tweet against Saboohi, as someone who Yousafzai alleged, was paying off the journalist. Yousafzai said to Saboohi, “Because Muazzam was unable to become the advocate general so he started propaganda against me with your help.”
Saboohi said that it was her job as a journalist to report stories about the government in KP and the CM had said that he wanted news outlets to openly report and criticise his government’s actions if needed. In return, “[Yousafzai] released my contact information on social media just because she didn’t approve of my story”.
KP GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE
“The CM house rejected the summary when it was sent to them as told by the CM social media wing representative Yar Muhammad Niazi,” revealed Saboohi. Niazi told her that the document might have been circulated but it was always going to be rejected.
Saboohi also pointed out that the advisor neither holds the authority to send such a document nor put a stop to it because the ministry belongs to CM.
“The spokesperson of KPK government, Barrister Saif, said that the document was given by Yousafzai in her individual capacity, when I asked him about the issue,” Saboohi said, “after which I asked him if that meant that any common person can request the government to buy them cars? Because this was an official government document”.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
Khyber Union of Journalists Peshawar Press Club condemned the advisor for making unsubstantiated remarks and sharing the female journalist’s information on social media.
According to Saboohi, a Jirga in her community has also vowed to support her, adding that, “anyone is welcome to prove these kinds of allegations in her entire 26 years of career.”
Peshawar Press Club had given Yousafzai 24 hours to delete the tweet or provide evidence of her claims. Yousafzai has since deleted that tweet.
When asked about problems she’s faced due to her contact information being publicised by the KPK official, Saboohi remarked, “I am facing a lot of harassment and threats due to this and she [Yousafzai] is responsible for this.”
SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSE
Interestingly, PTI supporters on X are also criticising the advisor on her tweet.
The Current has reached out to Yousafzai for her version of the story and a comment and have not heard back yet.
Local police have confirmed on Thursday that a firing incident in the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) claimed the lives of six people, including five customs officers.
Police officials stated that unknown attackers targeted the officers at Sago Road in Daraban tehsil of the district.
Five customs officers and one passer-by were killed in the firing incident, police added.
Attackers armed with weapons hid in bushes, then attacked the vehicle and quickly escaped on motorcycles without being stopped.
Due to the attack, the driver of the customs vehicle lost control and collided with another vehicle, resulting in the death of the citizen.
The bodies of the six individuals were shifted to the district headquarters hospital (DHQ).
Police officials cordoned off the area of the incident, and investigations have started.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur strongly condemned the incident, expressing regret over the deaths
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has decided to allocate separate rooms for transgenders in all the district headquarter hospitals of the province, reports Geo.
Governor Ghulam Ali and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had a meeting in which the problems faced by transgenders were discussed. It was decided in the meeting that a separate cemetery will be allocated for their burials. Separate rooms for transgenders will be allocated in each district headquarters hospital .
Gandapur said that further steps will also be taken to solve all other problems faced by transgenders.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced 100 million rupees aid for the Palestinians.
Finance Advisor Muzzamil Aslam says that the KP government is following the footsteps of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s founder, Imran Khan and because of his principles, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a donation for Palestine in this difficult time.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has said, “This money will be used to buy basic necessities for the Palestinians in Gaza.”
He also added, “The KP government stands with the oppressed people of Gaza in this difficult time and urges the international community to play its role in helping and supporting the Palestinians. Pakistan is one of the prominent countries that has not recognized Israel till date. We support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state whose capital is Bait ul Muqqadas.”
The number of martyred Palestinians has exceeded 32,000 and more than 74,000 have been injured in Israeli attacks in Gaza.
An Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad has given permission for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to be granted pre-arrest bail in the judicial complex vandalism case. Meanwhile, the Sessions Court has stopped his arrest warrants in cases filed at Bani Gala and Golra police stations in Islamabad.
The ATC granted Gandapur interim bail until April 17, approving his pre-arrest bail request.
Gandapur’s lawyer Raja Zahoorul Hassan told the court his client was named in the first information report (FIR), but he had no role in the vandalism incident as he was not present on the scene. The lawyer further revealed that despite facing 50 FIRs, Gandapur was not even being allowed to reach the court.
However, Gandapur turned himself in to the Sessions Court in Islamabad, which led to the cancellation of the arrest warrants issued against him in cases filed at Bani Gala and Golra police stations.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has warned the Punjab government as well as the federal government to change their behaviours or he will “send police” to their homes, The News reported on Thursday.
“Stop threatening me, or else we would send police to your homes,” Gandapur said while referring to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and President Asif Ali Zardari, after Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Malik Ijaz Asif issued non-bailable warrants against him in the alleged May 9 riots case on Tuesday.
Non-bailable arrest warrants are also issued against multiple Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shahbaz Gill, and retired Lieutenant Colonel Shabbir Awan.
Warrants were also issued for former PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, and Saad Jamil Abbasi.
Ali Amin Gandapur also said that the first information reports (FIRs) against him are “fake,” adding that it would be difficult for Punjab and the federal government to operate if they do not change their behaviours.
In a recent address in Syed Alian village, Dera Ismail Khan, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, has stirred controversy with an unconventional and violent proposal on dealing with corruption within bureaucratic ranks.
Speaking to attendees, Gandapur said, “Crack open the head of the officers who ask for a bribe with a brick and then come to me instead of complaining about the bribe taker.”
Gandapur told the attendees to “announce that Ali Amin asked me to do so,” after the violent act.
He further went and said, “Tell the offspring of that officer that you have saved their father from hell.”
Gandapur’s remarks, delivered in a no-nonsense tone, urged citizens not to lodge complaints about bribery but instead to take direct action against the perpetrators.
CM KP emphasized that both the bribe-taker and the giver will be going to hell so the people should neither become hellish nor let him be.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur has chosen to allow his brother Faisal Amin Gandapur to run for the National Assembly seat from Dera Ismail Khan, which Ali won in the February 8 general elections.
The KP’s CM, who also leads the provincial chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced that his brother will run in the by-elections for the NA-44 constituency. He is vacating the seat after winning the PK-113 Dera Ismail Khan-III seat.
Speaking about handing over the coveted KP constituency ticket to his brother in a video statement on Friday, the chief minister said he has conveyed the decision to party founder Imran Khan as well after he inquired where Gandapir plans to “adjust” his brother in the provincial cabinet.
“He did not know that my brother was yet to contest the elections,” he said.
The KP CM stated that he won the general elections on February 8 on two seats personally, keeping one and giving up the other.
