Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who had been “unreachable” for several hours following his fiery speech at PTI’s September 8 rally in Islamabad, reappeared on Wednesday at a ceremony of the Peshawar Bar Council Association. He affirmed his unwavering support for jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, stating that he would stand by Khan no matter what.
Addressing the bar council, Gandapur called on national institutions to “mend their ways” and engage in talks with the imprisoned PTI leader to resolve current issues, asserting that such actions would benefit both the country and the institutions themselves. He stressed, “Our goal should be to lift the country and not personal egos.”
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Gandapur revealed plans to send a provincial government delegation to Afghanistan for dialogue to address ongoing challenges. He also referred to recent terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, expressing frustration over what he described as a lack of care from federal authorities. “My province is bleeding, and they do not care,” he lamented, highlighting the 25 casualties resulting from 29 terrorist attacks in KP during August alone.
The Chief Minister dismissed allegations that he had brandished a pistol towards a police officer during the Islamabad rally, denying he had encountered any police officers. He also addressed recent criticism over his controversial remarks at the rally, particularly those perceived as threatening towards journalists, including women. Gandapur brushed off these concerns, saying it was “no big deal” if journalists tarnished his reputation, referring to them as his “brothers.”
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He further defended his outspoken comments against political leaders, calling it a “jihad” against oppression, and criticized those who accused him of inciting unrest.