Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday reiterated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s demands for dialogue with those who wield “real power,” as he issued a 90-day deadline for progress on the release of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore alongside senior party leaders, Gandapur maintained that Khan had made clear he would only talk to those with decision-making authority. The establishment was free to include the incumbent government in this process if it wished, he added.
The PTI leader maintained that the party had been campaigning throughout Khan’s incarcerated, but said it would now launch a “structured” 90-day nationwide campaign, which would “peak” on Aug. 5, the second anniversary of Khan’s detention. “This protest is not for political mileage, it’s a battle for the constitutional rights of the people,” he said, adding the deadline was for the party and not the government, as it would decide whether to continue politics under the current conditions.
Condemning what he described as a persistent “fascist crackdown” on the PTI and its supporters, Gandapur reiterated allegations of party workers facing torture after the May 9, 2023 riots. He also reiterated the party’s view that Khan was innocent of all charges and was imprisoned due to political victimization.
The chief minister accused state institutions of undermining democracy and lashed out at Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, challenging him to agree to a “free and fair election” in Dera Ismail Khan against Faisal Gandapur. “If you [Fazl] win, I will quit politics forever,” he claimed.
To questions, Gandapur rejected reports of any internal divisions within the PTI, describing them as “concocted” to weaken the party. “We may have disagreements, but our mission is united for Imran Khan’s release and Pakistan’s restoration,” he said.
However, within hours of these remarks, PTI Punjab Chief Organizer Aliya Hamza indicated disorganization, noting Gandapur had not announced any plan of action. She also hinted that the party had sidelined her from an event in Lahore, noting she was “told” she was “too busy to attend,” which was news to her.
In a statement on Gandapur’s press conference, State and Frontier Regions Minister Amir Muqam of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said the 90-day deadline was another attempt at theatrics. “Gandapur has no real authority,” he said. “The PTI’s 90-day campaign is merely a tactic to save the provincial government, which is already under threat from internal dissent. Their campaign has failed even before it began,” he claimed.
“The nation has rejected their politics of sit-ins, long marches, and violence. These are just desperate moves driven by their lust for power,” he said, adding that if Imran Khan genuinely desired dialogue, he must first admit and repent for his mistakes.