PESHAWAR: Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur is set to return to a prominent role in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary politics, with the party’s provincial parliamentary group deciding to nominate him as the province’s representative in the central negotiation process.
According to a statement issued after a meeting of PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party, the decision was taken on the basis of the majority opinion of its members.
The statement clarified that Sohail Afridi remains the provincial chief minister, while Junaid Akbar continues to serve as the party’s provincial president. It added that no discussion on changing either position had taken place during the previous meeting.
The parliamentary party also expressed concern over statements and a social media post by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, urging party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to take notice of the matter. It demanded that Raja withdraw his statement and apologise.
The meeting’s declaration also rejected the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province on October 11, describing the move as unconstitutional, illegal and politically motivated.
The parliamentary party voiced concern over the arrests and alleged abductions of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, and other party leaders and workers.
It called on the international community to play a role in securing the release of detained individuals and the recovery of leaders allegedly abducted. The party also urged the courts to ensure their recovery through immediate legal proceedings.
The declaration further called for an effective protest strategy, within the framework of the Constitution and law, to seek the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, his wife and other detained party leaders.
Rejecting the new administrative structures established in tribal and certain settled districts, the parliamentary party demanded their immediate withdrawal. It also opposed what it described as an attempt to impose unelected representatives through Area Representative Development Councils.
The party agreed to coordinate with other political parties and relevant stakeholders to launch a movement against the new administrative system.
Reaffirming its commitment to political, legal and democratic struggle, the parliamentary party said it would continue efforts to protect the province’s constitutional and democratic rights, secure the recovery of elected leaders and safeguard the public mandate.
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