Gandapur seeks fair judiciary and public role in restoring order
Former KP chief minister urges judiciary to ensure transparency in Senate polls, calls for dialogue-based approach to tackle law and order challenges.
Former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Thursday said that the Senate elections were being held amid political challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where, he claimed, his party’s mandate had been “stolen.”
Speaking to the media, Mr Gandapur said he would urge the judiciary to make fair and impartial decisions. He added that although no protest had yet been announced, “protest is our constitutional right.”
Highlighting the current law and order situation, the former chief minister said that the circumstances in Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were different, and that peace could only be established through public consultation. “There is nothing in the world that cannot be done if the intention is right,” he remarked.
Mr Gandapur said terrorists often take refuge in populated areas, and that counter-terrorism operations frequently result in collateral damage. “Operations should be carried out on the ground like the police, where there is no collateral damage,” he said, adding that “civilians are martyred due to shells, mortars and drones.”
He criticised the government’s approach to restoring law and order, terming it a “wrong policy,” and urged the authorities to control the situation in Bajaur through a jirga. “I have heard that migration has started from there again. Forced evictions will only increase deprivation among the public,” he cautioned.
The former chief minister further said the federal government should implement the National Action Plan in true spirit and that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi should hold talks with the centre. He stressed that institutions should focus on their own responsibilities, saying, “Everyone will have to answer for the position they hold.”
Mr Gandapur described Chief Minister Sohail Afridi as a “brother,” adding that he had been nominated by the PTI founder and would have the party’s full support. “The chief minister will meet the founder soon to discuss the province’s affairs,” he added.
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