Police deny withdrawal of Gandapur's security

CM says issue 'unnecessarily blown out of proportion'

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police on Wednesday clarified that no security personnel have been withdrawn from former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, dismissing reports circulating about changes in his protection arrangements.

In a statement, police officials said the deployment provided to the former chief minister remains intact and no reduction has been made in his security detail.

According to officials, Gandapur is currently provided with a total of 77 personnel. Of them, 58 officers from the police security wing are deployed at his residence, while 12 personnel from the Frontier Reserve Police (FRP) are also on duty. In addition, seven police officials from Dera Ismail Khan are stationed at the bungalow.

The police said security arrangements are continuing as per routine and the impression of any withdrawal of personnel is incorrect. They added that details of the deployed staff have been made public to dispel speculation and confirm that all measures remain in place.

Meanwhile, K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Wednesday that the issue of Gandapur's security withdrawal had been "unnecessarily" blown out of proportion, describing it as a "non-issue".

In a statement, the top provincial official said the government's focus remained on the release of the party's founding chairman Imran Khan.

Afridi reiterated that no instructions had been issued to withdraw Gandapur's security, adding that the matter was being "unnecessarily politicized".

He said the government was engaged in what he described as a struggle for "real freedom" and that its full attention remained focused on efforts related to the party leadership.

After reports surfaced about the alleged removal of his security detail, an audio message attributed to Gandapur emerged in which he claimed that he had been informed that the deputy chief security officer had ordered the withdrawal of all police personnel deployed for his protection.