ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday visited Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where he met the incarcerated PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan and discussed with him the formation of provincial cabinet.

While talking to Dawn, spokesperson for the former prime minister Raoof Hasan said, “Mr Gandapur met incarcerated leader Imran Khan and during the meeting, along with other issues, names of the provincial cabinet members were also discussed.

“It is the right of Mr Gandapur to announce the names of the cabinet members himself. I hope announcement will be made soon.”

Sources said it was decided to have a small cabinet in KP to reduce the burden on the exchequer.

Asad Qaiser submits NA resolution for release of PTI founder, leaders and journalists

Talking to media persons after meeting Mr Khan in jail, Mr Gandapur said the PTI had never done politics just to grab power. “We had governments in two provinces, but we decided to dissolve both assemblies of KP and Punjab for the democracy and the people of Pakistan,” he said.

Replying to questions, he said Mr Khan was fighting a battle of workers and nation. He said only Mr Khan could decide about the reconciliation with the establishment. However, he made it clear that establishment and other institutions were very close to his heart and he respected them.

He said the PTI would never reconcile with the Shehbaz Sharif-led PML-N government, which was formed “by stealing the seats” won by PTI members. However, he added, working relation with the federal government would be maintained.

He made it clear that the KP government and PTI would not compromise over the claim of its seats in centre.

Resolution in NA

The PTI, whose leaders contested the general elections as independent candidates after the party was deprived of its electoral symbol and later joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in an attempt to secure reserved seats in assemblies, submitted its first resolution of current tenure in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Submitted by 13 members, the draft resolution has demanded release of PTI leadership Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other leaders as well as journalists who have been imprisoned.

The resolution has been sig­ned by former National Ass­e­m­bly speaker Asad Qai­ser, Jun­aid Akbar, Advocate Sohail Sultan, Shahid Khatak, Zubair Khan, Mujahid Ali, Sahabzada Sibghatullah, Sher Ali, Saleem Rehman, Arbab Amir, Dr Amjad Ali Khan, Ayesha Nazir and Mehboob Shah.

Through the resolution, they demanded that all leaders be released at the earliest, while ‘illegal use’ of law and fabricated cases against Mr Khan and other leaders must be stopped forthwith.

Protest movement

Mr Qaiser had earlier told the media that the PTI was planning to launch a protest movement against the ‘stealing’ of the public mandate.

He had also said that he would submit a resolution for the withdrawal of cases against incarcerated leaders and journalists.

The former NA speaker said it was unfortunate that the PTI members’ victory was converted into a defeat by changing the results in Forms-47. However, he made it clear the peaceful movement would be within the ambit of the law and as per the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2024