PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Whereabouts of “disappeared” Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are still a mystery on Sunday.
The chief minister was reportedly taken away by the Rangers personnel from the KP House in Islamabad on Saturday while he was leading the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest rally in the capital.
KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif in a message on social media website X, formerly twitter, wrote that the chief minister was arrested, but later claimed that he “has not been formally arrested.”
Saif wrote: “The KP CM has not been formally arrested, a heavy contingent of Rangers and police are present at KP House. The KP CM is on bail till Oct 25. If arrested, it will be an insult to the mandate of the people of KP, the fake government will have to answer for such unconstitutional and illegal actions.”
Later at night, he stated in a news channel talk show that “CM Gandapur was accompanied by his staff when Rangers personnel entered the KP House in Islamabad.”
Barrister Saif said Chief Minister “Gandapur would have informed us had he left Islamabad for Peshawar. But no one has been able to contact the chief minister so far.”
The KP government spokesperson also confirmed that he had a chat with the chief minister via satellite phone at 8am on Saturday.
However, his whereabouts are unknown as of now.
It may be recalled that the federal government denied on Saturday the arrest of Gandapur by law enforcers. The government is still tightlipped about his whereabouts.
ASSEMBLY SESSION CONVENED
Meanwhile, KP assembly session has been convened at 2 pm on Sunday (today) to discuss "disappearance" of Chief Minister Gandapur and "besieging" of KP House in Islamabad.
The Assembly Secretariat declared Chief Minister Gandapur as "missing" and condemned "attack" on KP House in Islamabad.
Former speaker Asad Qaiser, talking to a TV channel said the PTI would call a meeting of Jirga of political parties, urging the government to release the Gandapur. He said the CM’s detention was an insult of the entire province.
In a statement, PTI leader Omer Ayub Khan has stressed the federal government to ensure safe return of Gandapur.
THE SATURDAY NIGHT EPISODE
In a dramatic turn of events, KP Chief Minister Gandapur was 'arrested' in Islamabad moments after he entered the federal capital along with party workers for holding protest despite imposition of Section 144 on Saturday.
The chief minister was arrested by a team of the Islamabad police in KP House for "damaging public properties and attack on the state". He has also been accused of misusing state resouces for his party.
The KP chief minister had earlier resolved to reach D-Chowk in the federal capital for the PTI protest on Imran Khan's call despite a ban on public gatherings and rallies. Clashes also took place between police and PTI workers at several points in the federal capital.
However, official sources have denied arrest of the KP chief minister while declaring the reports about his detention “false”.
Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said nobody would be allowed to sabotage the SCO summit to be held this month.
Speaking to media, the interior minister said he was in constant touch with the prime minister. He stated that the army and FC had been deployed in the capital and that maximum deployment of security personnel would be ensured.
Naqvi regretted that the protesters opened fire on police personnel besides using teargas shells. "We have every idea of the motives behind it," he said.
Meanwhile, KP Information Adviser Barrister Saif said security officials had sealed the KP House and taken Gandapur into custody. He said the mobile phone of the chief minister was switched off as "we have no contact with him at this time."
PTI WORKERS BOOKED
Following last night's unrest at Faizabad, a case has been registered against 17 PTI workers under anti-terrorism provisions at the Sadiqabad police station. According to the FIR, four police personnel from Rawalpindi were seriously injured due to stone-pelting by PTI workers at Faizabad.
It stated that PTI workers attacked police officers and police mobile vans at the location.
The FIR also mentioned that the PTI activists were heading towards Faizabad armed with sticks and shouting anti-state slogans.
MILITARY DEPLOYMENT
Security measures have been intensified with the completion of military deployments in and around Islamabad in light of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting.
The Ministry of Interior issued deployment orders under Article 245 of the Constitution. The military will remain deployed in Islamabad till Oct 17. The sources added that no miscreant would be allowed to disrupt peace.