ISLAMABAD – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to meet with former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan in jail.
Gandapur appeared before Justice Mansoor Ali Shah’s court for the request but Justice Mansoor advised him to contact Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, who is currently in Lahore.
Later, speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Gandapur said they had been trying for several days to arrange a meeting with Imran Khan. He added, “I have come to the Supreme Court today on Imran Khan’s instructions.”
He further stated that Imran Khan had written a letter to the Supreme Court, which included evidence and received positive remarks from Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, but no action has been taken on it so far.
Gandapur expressed frustration, saying, “Despite our repeated requests, we have not been allowed to meet the PTI founder. A conspiracy is being hatched against us.”
He also said that since the budget approval process is underway in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, PTI’s budget committee needs to meet with Imran Khan for consultation.
A day earlier, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, made a startling comment, saying, “I believe the ‘Minus Imran Khan’ formula has already been implemented.”
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, a journalist asked whether Imran Khan had indeed been sidelined, to which Aleema replied, “Yes, I think Imran Khan has been minus.”
When asked about reports that KP assembly members claim Ali Amin Gandapur is too powerful to oppose, Aleema Khan responded, “If they can’t bear the responsibility, they should resign and go home.”
It may be mentioned here that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed the provincial budget without Ali Amin Gandapur’s meeting with Imran Khan. The new fiscal year’s budget was approved last night.
In a speech prior to the budget’s passage, Gandapur had stated that any necessary changes to the budget would be made in accordance with Imran Khan’s guidance, if and when they were allowed to meet him.
