Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Monday night claimed that the federal government might have taken Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Ali Amin Gandapur into custody.
The Centre has launched a fresh crackdown against the leadership of the Imran Khan-founded after the latter “violated” the newly enacted public gathering law during the party’s Sunday power show in the capital.
The Islamabad police arrested PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat, Zubair Khan and others outside the Parliament House following the National Assembly session.
The Islamabad police said that PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Zartaj Gul Wazir would also be taken into custody. Heavy contingents of police were deployed outside the parliament while all entry and exit routes to the Red Zone were also closed from D-Chowk, Nadra Chowk, Serena, and Marriott, except for Margala Road.
Expressing his doubts, the PTI leader urged the federal government to inform them about the whereabouts of the missing CM.
Amid the ongoing crackdown against the PTI leaders, Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that the provincial chief executive was not in contact since 6 pm.
Earlier, speaking to the Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”, the KP CM spokesperson said that Gandapur told him over the phone at 3 pm that he was going to Islamabad for a meeting.
“Since then, Gandapur’s phone has been off and his close staff’s contact numbers are also unreachable since 6pm,” he added.
“Has anyone witnessed a precedent of arresting an elected chief minister,” he questioned.
The CM’s aide asked authorities to file a case against Gandapur if he had done anything wrong.
Commenting over the arrests of the PTI leaders, Saif said that such moves could not crush the former ruling party except for denting the democracy in the country.
“Senior parliamentarians were arrested like criminals. We will not compromise and continue our struggle,” he added.
Slamming the PML-N-led government, the politico said that there was no solid reason to begin a crackdown on the basis of Gandapur’s speech during the Islamabad rally.
He was of the view that the KP CM delivered an “emotional speech” as the current rulers seized power via “illegal means”.
CM Gandapur, in his speech yesterday, gave a two-week ultimatum to the coalition government to release the party founder Imran Khan besides pledging to expand the anti-government movement to Punjab.
“If the founder of PTI is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” the chief minister had said.
More to follow…
