Ali Amin Gandapur to lead 'peaceful protest' in Peshawar

• KP CM nominee conducts first-ever meeting with fellow lawmakers.
• In meeting, Gandapur vows to continue legal fight against 'rigging'.
• KP chief secretary, IGP Akhtar Hayat visit Gandapur for condolence.

PESHAWAR: Ali Amin Gandapur, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and proposed chief minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has decided to stage a massive peaceful protest in Peshawar today against the alleged "rigging" in the recently held general elections as he vowed to continue the legal fight, The News reported on Saturday.

Ali, who was nominated by his party for the top KP post after his win in the NA-44 (Dera Ismail Khan-I) and PK-113 constituencies, shared the party plans during his first-ever meeting to consult his fellow newly-elected lawmakers and former party candidates as well as other PTI leaders from the provincial capital about various political issues.

During the meeting, the PTI leadership agreed to stage a protest rally against the alleged rigging in Peshawar on Saturday at 2pm at the Ring Road.

Ali had arrived in Peshawar a day earlier and held his first meeting with the PTI leaders from the capital at the speaker's house.

Following his father's recent demise, the chief minister nominee was also visited by KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Gandapur who arrived to express their condolences over his loss.

Besides them, the eight PTI candidates who lost the seats in the February 8 general elections were also invited to the party’s meeting with the nominated chief minister.

They included Taimur Jhagra, Kamran Bangash, Mehmood Jan, Ali Zaman, Arbab Jahandad, Mohammad Asim Khan, Hamid ul Haq, and Sajid Nawaz.

Bangash told The News that they discussed various issues related to the party but nothing about the government, selection of cabinet members or distribution of portfolios came under discussion.

Bangash, a former minister, claimed all the eight PTI candidates had won the election as per Form 45 but the district returning officer (DRO) and returning officers (ROs) changed their results in Form 47 and declared them losers.

He said the chief minister-designate assured to utilise all available options and get back the mandate of the people of Peshawar to them.

There were reports that Ali Amin Gandapur had made some decisions about his 15-member cabinet, five advisors and 10 special assistants and appointed Jhagra and Bangash as his advisors for health, sports, and culture.

Mushtaq Ghani, who is also in the race for the chief minister slot, was reportedly chosen as higher education minister, Mian Khaliqur Rahman excise and taxation, Arif Ahmadzai mines and minerals, Shakil Khan revenue, and Akbar Ayub local government.

Bangash didn’t agree with these reports, saying nothing like this was discussed in their meeting with Gandapur.