After resurfacing, CM Gandapur claims he was at KP House 'the whole time'

• CM Gandapur announces to register FIR against Islamabad IG.
• "They thought we couldn’t reach D-Chowk, but we did,” he says.
• "It [KP House] is our property, and they fired on us directly,” CM says.
  

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who resurfaced in the provincial assembly on Sunday after a daylong disappearance, ruled out his arrest during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad, saying that “he was present at the KP House the whole time”.

“Police raided the KP House multiple times [...] Listen IG [Inspector-General of Police]. I was there the whole night,” the chief executive said while addressing the provincial assembly session in a fiery speech.

Gandapur’s whereabouts had been unknown since his disappearance on Saturday after PTI tried to stage a protest in Islamabad amid the imposition of Section 144 (which bars political activities and gatherings) in the twin cities to ensure security.

The Imran Khan-founded party initiated a series of protests for the independence of the judiciary and the release of its founder Imran, who has been incarcerated at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail for more than a year.

Clashes also broke out between the law enforcers and party workers, with both sides claiming that the other had attacked them.

Earlier, the provincial assembly passed a resolution seeking recovery of the chief minister within 24 hours.

Addressing the KP assembly members, Gandapur said: “This is a historic moment as the government is coming together and attacking our party,” he said.

“They snatched out electoral symbol, abducted our people and forced them to leave the party,” he alleged.

The KP chief minister lambasted the authorities, including Islamabad IGP Nasir Ali Rizvi, for allegedly raiding the KP House and misbehaving with staff and women.

"It [KP House] is our property, and they fired on us directly,” he said, calling it an attack on the province’s autonomy.

"They thought we couldn’t reach D-Chowk, but we did,” Gandapur said, thanking the PTI workers and supporters for standing with party founder Imran Khan.

Furthermore, he announced to register a first information report (FIR) against Islamabad IG, saying that he would have to apologise on the floor.

Criticising the current administration for not granting permission to hold public gatherings, he questioned: “Why are they so afraid? We requested permission for a rally in Lahore, but they didn’t even allow us to hold it at Minar-e-Pakistan. They want us to hold rallies in cattle markets."

The firebrand politician said that the authorities informed him about a case against him but didn’t explain what it was for. “What crime I had committed,” he asked.

Dubbing IG Rizvi as the “government’s goon”, Gandapur said he would have to fix all the things broken during the police raid at the KP House.

He concluded his speech by asking all the institutions and political parties “to reform yourselves and never leave the true path for personal gains.”

'A  drama'

Shortly after Gandapur’s address, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar — in a video statement — said that the KP chief minister had “staged a drama” through his disappearance.

He criticised Gandapur for his “irresponsibility in fleeing a violent political rally that he was leading”, subsequently disappearing from the scene and leaving behind rumours and misinformation.    

Tarar said the chief executive must be questioned as to why he tried to disrupt law and order in Islamabad, resulting in the loss of the precious life of a police constable.  

‘Not in any institution's custody’

Earlier in the day, the federal government cleared the air on the matter saying that Gandapur was not in the custody of any federal institution.

Addressing a press conference, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi admitted that the law enforcement agencies did carry out a couple of raids at the KP House in Islamabad, suspecting that the chief minister might be there but he was not present at the location.

"We do not have the knowledge if he has reached KP or not. However, camera footage of him fleeing the KP House is available," he said, dismissing the reports of the KP chief minister being in police custody.

The interior minister said Gandapur was not in the custody of any other institution as well. He reiterated that the PTI leader himself fled somewhere.

However, he said, if he was present in Islamabad then the federal capital police was after him. "He is sought by police," he added.