Ministers slam Gandapur for vanishing act

LAHORE:

The government on Sunday ruled out talks with the protesters and severely criticised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for staging a "drama of disappearance and reappearance".

In their separate media talks, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said that Gandapur was wanted in connection with Saturday's events in Islamabad, and sought explanation from about his whereabouts during the last 24 hours.

Gandapur was leading the protesters from Islamabad on Saturday for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) protest in Islamabad. However, after appearing in the protest he went to the K-P House and then disappeared. Some 24 hours later, he appeared in the K-P assembly in Peshawar.

"Ali Amin Gandapur is an irresponsible person. He must explain why this drama was created," Tarar told the media persons in Lahore. "He took his supporters to Islamabad and fled. But the main question is where Gandapur was during the last 24 hours," he added.

Talking to the media in Islamabad, Naqvi confirmed that the Rangers and the Islamabad police had raided the K-P House on Saturday to arrest Gandapur, but he escaped. He added that Gandapur was wanted in connection with the events in Islamabad.

Tarar said that a campaign was started in the country that Gandapur had been kidnapped. "He wanted to damage government properties and destabilise Pakistan but when all his plans failed, he left his people and fled," he added.

Tarar said that the objective of the so-called "Tehreek-e-Intishar" was to derail the country's economy and spread chaos and anarchy. "What are the objectives of the PTI protest movement," he wondered. "They wanted to derail the system," he added.

The minister said that the PTI was unable to digest the country's economic development. The armed PTI people, he added, attacked the federal capital but the Islamabad police showed restraint and did not allow any loss of life or property.

"The PTI again wants bodies to defame the country, but they were not given the opportunity," he said. [Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister] Ali Amin Gandapur attacked the federal government with [provincial] government resources and weapons but he failed miserably in achieving his target."

He advised the K-P chief minister to spend the taxpayers' money on the welfare of the people, instead of wasting on protests and sit-ins. The minister stressed that the country had a professional army chief and a strong leadership, who cared about the country's interests.

He said that he was deeply saddened by the martyrdom of Police Constable Shah. "Abdul Hameed Shah had left home to perform security duties and was martyred by the anarchist group," Tarar said. "These anarchist movement cannot feel the grief of the family members."

During his media talk, Naqvi said that those involved in the killing of policeman would be brought to justice. He said that the martyr cop's one son worked in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), while his other son would be provided a government job, along with the Shaheed package for the family.

During the meeting, the prime minister stated that Pakistan's economic policies were being recognised globally, but political opponents were unable to accept the country's progress and attempted to hinder its development.

Shehbaz praised the Islamabad administration, Islamabad and Punjab police, Pakistan Army, and Rangers for their role in maintaining peace in the capital. He lauded the Islamabad police for their exemplary role in thwarting an assault on the city

Shehbaz highlighted the collective efforts of the security forces in ensuring law and order. He paid tributes to Constable Hamid Shah, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty while protecting the public. Naqvi briefed the prime minister about the overall improvement in the situation in Islamabad.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)