Defiant Gandapur unapologetic for spewing 'vitriol' at PTI's Islamabad rally

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday categorically refused to apologise for his "vitriol" during the Islamabad rally on September 8, stating, "I owe no apology for any wrongdoing, nor am I a slave to the Punjab government or anyone else."

PTI's firebrand leader Gandapur, who usually makes headlines due to his fiery statements, came down hard on journalists during the embattled party's major political event two weeks ago.

Hurling insults at the newsmen, the KP CM alleged that a group of journalists was "campaigning against the PTI," vowing to "confront" them, and asked the party workers to identify and expose them.

The chief minister drew severe criticism over his inappropriate remarks from the journalist community and the incumbent government, who demanded that he tender an apology.

Following Gandapur's inappropriate remarks, the district administration set a condition before allowing the Imran Khan-founded party to hold its public gathering in Lahore a day ago: the KP CM must publicly apologise for his "vitriol" during the Islamabad jalsa.

"Why should I apologise, and for what reason, as this apology thing is being repeated again and again," slammed CM Gandapur while addressing the PTI workers via video link. "You should seek an apology from me and also for arresting the party founder, Imran Khan."

He went on to say that the PTI workers were subjected to atrocities for holding a peaceful protest. He slammed the calls for an apology, stating that people should seek forgiveness first for the injustices against the PTI.

"I'm neither a slave of the Punjab government nor anyone else," he added, challenging the government to file a First Information Report (FIR) or take any action against him, but they would never see any apologetic remarks coming from him.

Gandapur praised the people of Lahore for breaking the chain of fear by holding a successful rally.

Criticising the Punjab government's action of forcibly shutting down the PTI rally in Lahore, the party stalwart condemned the implementation of the "standard time" rule in the country, which “even lacks standard rules”.

A day ago, the overhyped yet time-strapped Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Lahore came to a sudden halt before many top leaders could speak, with Gandapur himself failing to arrive at the venue ahead of the 6 pm deadline set by the city officials in the conditions-laden no-objection certificate (NOC).

He then announced that his party would hold its next public gathering in Mianwali next Sunday, followed by a power show in Rawalpindi. Gandapur vowed that they would soon succeed in bringing the incarcerated PTI founder out of jail and make him the prime minister of the country via a countrywide movement for the supremacy of the Constitution.