Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur issued a warning on Tuesday to the federal and Punjab governments, stating that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would launch a nationwide shutdown if any mistreatment was inflicted on PTI founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail.
These remarks came after protests by Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, who cited inadequate jail conditions, including unhygienic food — which she claimed led to Khan vomiting — and the loss of electricity to his cell since October 3. “The federal and Punjab governments have shown the worst attitude toward the PTI founder,” Gandapur stated in a video shared on PTI’s official X account, underscoring the restrictions on Khan’s interactions with family and party members.
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Urging the nation to prepare for action, Gandapur added, “The government’s days are numbered. We must remove this government, shut down all of Pakistan, and reclaim the stolen mandate,” he declared, signaling the party’s plan to escalate beyond D-Chowk if needed.
In the video, he also addressed PTI defectors, accusing them of betrayal for “money” or “cowardice,” warning they would be marked as traitors in history without exception.
Gandapur, also PTI’s president in KP, has been vocal in his protests against the government over Khan’s prolonged detention, sparking concerns among some PTI leaders about the possibility of governor’s rule in KP. PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat recently cautioned that Gandapur’s intense rhetoric might provoke the opposition to dissolve the provincial government.
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Meanwhile, the PTI leadership has continued to express unease over Khan’s well-being, despite PTI Chairman Gohar Khan’s previous confirmation of Khan’s “good health” following a medical team’s visit to Adiala Jail earlier this month.