By Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Information Adviser, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, has reported that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has been missing for several hours and has been unreachable. In a statement issued late Monday night, Barrister Saif revealed that attempts to contact Gandapur, whose phone numbers have been switched off, have proven unsuccessful.
Saif explained that while Chief Minister Gandapur is reportedly in Islamabad, not Peshawar, his precise location remains unknown. There are growing concerns that authorities may be attempting to apprehend him, as efforts to reach him continue amidst these uncertainties.
This situation unfolds against the backdrop of a police crackdown targeting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders. Recently, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Sher Afzal Marwat were arrested following a rally in Islamabad. They are accused of violating legal agreements related to the rally, including deviating from the agreed route, attacking police officers, and exceeding the rally’s permitted time limit.
Sources within PTI also reported the arrest of Shoaib Shaheen, who was taken into custody at his office. Other PTI leaders, such as Aamir Dogar and Ali Muhammad Khan, reportedly left Parliament House without incident.
Police have indicated that further arrests of PTI figures, including Zartaj Gul and Omar Ayub, are likely. According to a PTI spokesperson, Gul managed to evade detention by fleeing in a car.
The recent arrests and police actions come after Islamabad police filed multiple cases against PTI leaders under the Public Order and Peace Act. These cases involve allegations of rally-related violations, including stone-pelting and violent confrontations with law enforcement. Authorities have accused PTI supporters of attacking police with stones and sticks, leading to 17 arrests in connection with these incidents.
