Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur faced backlash on Monday for his harsh comments against journalists during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) event in Islamabad. Several federal ministers and senators criticized Gandapur’s remarks.
During the PTI rally, Gandapur declared, “If PTI’s founder is not legally released within one or two weeks, we will free him ourselves,” and announced plans to hold a rally in Lahore despite potential obstacles. His fiery rhetoric drew sharp criticism from various political figures.
Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar accused Gandapur of making threats out of frustration and criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s handling of rising militancy in the province. Tarar condemned Gandapur’s comments as an attack on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and institutions, reflecting poorly on his provincial government’s performance.
Engineer Amir Muqam, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, denounced Gandapur’s derogatory remarks about PML-N leaders, labeling them as a serious breach of Pakhtoon norms and disrespect towards women.
Senator Sherry Rehman, Vice President of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), also condemned Gandapur’s statements, accusing PTI of promoting violence and chaos. She questioned whether PTI sought to have the justice system influenced by rallies and mob threats.
In response to Gandapur’s controversial remarks about the media, journalists staged protests in both houses of parliament. The PTI leadership quickly issued an unconditional apology. During the Senate session, journalists boycotted the proceedings, prompting PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar to personally apologize. He stated, “We respect the entire journalist community and extend an unconditional apology for any offense caused by the chief minister’s comments, which were aimed at only a few journalists.”
