Imran's transfer to Bani Gala, Nathia Gali, CM House proposed but stalled: CM Gandapur

• KP CM says establishment warned against Nov 24 protest.
• He claims he saw bodies of three PTI workers near D-Chowk.
• KP CM also reveals why he and Bushra ended protest abruptly.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has claimed that a proposal was made to transfer Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to Bani Gala, Nathia Gali, or the Chief Minister House, but no progress has been made as Khan insisted on the release of all detained workers before his transfer.

Speaking to journalists in Peshawar, Gandapur said: "When I set out for a mission, I burn my boats."

Regarding the November 24 protest, he revealed that the establishment had warned against staging demonstrations, citing the risk of clashes and damage.

The protests in question refer to the party's "final call" march towards Islamabad — for the release of political prisoners, restoration of democracy, returning people's mandate etc — which ended abruptly after the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) launched a late-night crackdown dispersing the PTI workers and forcing CM Gandapur and Khan's wife Bushra Bibi to flee.

Although the party has alleged that several of its workers were killed due to LEAs' action, the government has time again refuted such claims reiterating that neither any lives were lost nor live rounds were fired.

He said that PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and KP CM's Adviser on Information Barrister Saif were in contact with the establishment about Sangjani and had directly reached out to the PTI founder.

However, Gandapur had turned off his mobile phone at the time.

KP CM Gandapur claimed that the establishment’s message was conveyed to both him and the PTI founder, but he insisted that only the latter could announce any change of plans.

"The PTI founder had instructed us to march towards D-Chowk unless he said otherwise," Gandapur added.

Addressing reports about PTI workers refusing to stay at Sangjani, he clarified that their refusal was not due to Bushra Bibi’s instructions. Instead, he had asked the PTI founder to announce a stay at Sangjani himself, which did not happen, leading them to proceed towards D-Chowk as planned.

The KP CM claimed that as he approached D-Chowk, he found three PTI workers dead and 12 others injured. "We evacuated the wounded, but I couldn't take over 100,000 people where bullets were being fired. They  were my responsibility," he said.

Discussing contacts with the establishment, Gandapur revealed that formal communications resumed on October 4 due to his official position, which facilitated dialogues.

He emphasised that a conducive environment was necessary for negotiations, asserting that discussions with the PTI founder should happen face-to-face.

However, he clarified that the PTI founder did not personally request to be relocated, saying, "He refused, saying that any discussion could happen where he currently was."

The CM's statement comes in the backdrop of the now-stalled talks between the PTI and the government, with the former citing the latter's failure to form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and the party's November 2024 protests in Islamabad — two key points of the party's written charter of demands.

Since then, the PTI has warned of agitation against the ruling coalition and has sought permission from the local administration to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan to mark the first anniversary of last year's February 8 polls — which it said would be observed as "Black Day" for alleged rigging in the general elections.

With the former ruling party also set to hold a power show in Swabi on the same day, the former ruling party, it seems, has also reached out to the establishment with PTI founder Khan — who has been behind bars for more than a year — writing a letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, urging him to change policies.

In his letter, as per lawyer Faisal Chaudhry, the former prime minister also complained of "fraudulent elections" as well as the impact of the 26th Constitutional Amendment on judicial independence and the rule of law coupled with criticism of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

The letter came as the PTI's leadership, including Chairman Barrister Gohar and KP CM Gandapur, held a meeting with the army chief earlier this month wherein the party's concerns and priorities were highlighted.

The PTI's attempts to reach out to the establishment can be contrasted with the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry's December 2024 remarks where he categorically said that no political leader's desire for power should be more important than Pakistan's interests.