Both sides need to swallow pride: K-P CM

Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has stated that PTI founder Imran Khan was willing to talk turkey with the establishment for the country's good but said that both sides would have to swallow pride and extend a mutual apology to get the ball rolling on reconciliation.

Confirming his interaction with the establishment in his capacity as a public office holder, he revealed that these conversations have yielded no tangible results. However, if proper talks were to be held, the party would not forget its "martyrs".

Reiterating the party's stance of steering clear of talks with the government, he criticised the ruling coalition, saying, "The government wants us to negotiate, but we ask, with whom? You are not even a legitimate government."

Speaking after a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail on Saturday, Gandapur said that as the chief minister of K-P, he holds an official position and has contacts with the establishment, but nothing concrete has come of it.

However, he said that when the party negotiates, "we will not forget our martyrs", adding that both sides will need to acknowledge and apologise for their mistakes. "Terms of reference for talks should be established, and mutual concerns addressed to resolve the issue."

Gandapur said that the PTI founder remains steadfast in his ideology, which cannot be imprisoned. "The nation stands for the constitution and self-respect. The people will show their support by attending the rally in Swabi on August 5."

He said the incarcerated party founder was concerned about the country's economy and was willing to talk for the nation's sake.

He reiterated claims of election fraud, "Our mandate was stolen. The PTI founder has always advocated for dialogue and even formed a committee for it. Yet in Punjab, fascism prevails, and cases are being registered. These people still haven't provided Form 45, while the Form 47 holders sit in the assembly."

The chief minister recalled past threats, "The PTI founder predicted an attack on him, and it happened. There are conspiracies to dismantle the party. If the mistake is yours, don't expect me to apologize. Sit down, prove my mistake, and I'll apologize proportionally."

"We've suffered many injustices. Andleeb Abbas left the party and was never jailed, while Murad Raas had 1,800 calls but is still appearing on TV," he added.

"We abide by the PTI founder's decisions. Those who defy court orders should leave us and the courts alone."

Regarding Sher Afzal Marwat, Gandapur said, "I have ties with him. He was issued notices on the chairman's instructions. We told him to tolerate criticism from within the party. Internal matters will be resolved internally."

However, he said, "We shouldn't close the doors for return; there is a huge margin for reform. I am unaware of any party notification regarding Sher Afzal Marwat."

On the Parachinar conflict, Gandapur clarified, "A ceasefire has been achieved. The land dispute between two groups is being wrongly portrayed as terrorism and a religious issue. We will address this; peace is our priority. We've made sacrifices before and will continue to do so."