ISLAMABAD: In a shocking revelation, Federal Minister for Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday claimed that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur spent the entire night at the Kohsar Complex – Inter-Services Intelligence’s sector headquarters in Islamabad – asking for forgiveness.
Speaking in the National Assembly, the minister severely criticised the KP chief minister, calling him “a two-faced man”, and urged others not to trust him.
“We don’t ask, but they themselves should ask what Ali Amin Gandapur was doing all night at the Kohsar Complex,” he added.
He expressed frustration with the recent meetings of a parliamentary special committee, which he alleged was focused on solving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s issues rather than addressing the broader concerns of the parliament.
He voiced his decision to step down from the committee, stating that it was not fulfilling its purpose, adding, “I don’t want to be part of a committee that is constantly rehashing old grievances.”
Asif went on to criticise PTI for its use of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during its tenure, emphasising the need for the party to reflect on its actions over the past four years.
He also highlighted how, during PTI’s rule, the party treated leaders such as Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz in ways that, in his words, “set no precedent.”
He reiterated his point regarding Gandapur’s actions, saying, “Gandapur spent the whole night asking for forgiveness, yet we don’t trust him.”
Chief Minister Gandapur had gone missing after the PTI's rally on Sunday held in the outskirts of Islamabad.
Barrister Saif expressed concerns in the early hours of the next day, stating that all attempts to reach Chief Minister Gandapur had failed, and his phone numbers were switched off.
Later that day, Gandapur reached the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, after remaining out of contact for more than eight hours.
Gandapur's disappearance had coincided with a police crackdown against PTI's top leadership that was triggered in the aftermath of violations that took place during Sunday's rally in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Asif also announced to quit the special committee formed for the Charter of Parliament, saying that it seemed the committee was constituted only to address PTI’s concerns.
Speaking in the house, he said: “Yesterday it seemed that the special committee was only formed to address PTI's reservations after the meeting started.”
In fact, he added, the committee had been created for the betterment of parliament and the supremacy of the Constitution.
He said he does not want to be a part of the committee, adding that the things that have been condemned were repeated during the meeting yesterday.
“A separate committee should be formed to remove PTI's concerns," he said, demanding that the Imran Khan-founded party should express regret for its actions during its four-year tenure.
Barrister Gohar, while speaking to media persons outside the Parliament House on Friday, said there was no point of order on the floor of the lower house of parliament.
He said the first thing that happened in the committee was that I raised concerns over PPP's Khursheed Shah being the chairman. “We are in the opposition, make one of us the chairman,” he stressed.
Separately, in a huge relief for PTI lawmakers who are currently under arrest, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Friday approved the designation of Parliament Lodges as a sub-jail for them.
This decision follows a request from Barrister Gohar and other members due to heightened security concerns.
All the arrested PTI MNAs have completed the necessary paperwork and are expected to be transferred to the Parliament Lodges on Friday.
This move comes as part of ongoing efforts to address the security and logistical challenges associated with their detention.
In addition, Sadiq has issued production orders for 10 PTI members, ensuring their presence at the National Assembly proceedings.
The decision is intended to enable the detained MNAs to attend the 9th session of the National Assembly, scheduled after the issuance of production orders on 11th September 2024.
In a letter addressed to the secretary of the Ministry of Interior, the Secretariat noted that the Speaker had approved the arrangement in line with Rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.
The orders cover the following MNAs: Sher Afzal Marwat, Amir Dogar, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Muhammad Ahmad Chattha, Zubair Khan, Owais Haider Jhakkar, Syed Shah Ahad Shah, Naseem Ali Shah, and Yousuf Khan.
The production orders, issued under Rule 108, are intended to facilitate their participation in the ongoing assembly session.
This action follows recent arrests, including that of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Shoaib Shaheen.
The ICT police had previously detained MNAs Zain Qureshi and Sheikh Waqas Akram inside the Parliament House.
Other detained individuals include Owais Ahmed Chattha, Syed Shah Ahmed, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)’s Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Yousaf Khan, Maulana Naseem Shah, and Ahmed Shah Khattak.
The new arrangement at Parliament Lodges is expected to address both security and procedural needs, ensuring that the detained MNAs can fulfill their legislative duties while managing their current legal circumstances.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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