PESHAWAR: Ali Amin Gandapur, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s nominee for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, has stated that he will secure the province’s rights with the backing of other political parties.
Speaking with reporters during the PTI parliamentary party’s inaugural meeting held here on Sunday, he stated that the three primary obstacles facing the incoming administration would be upholding peace and order, securing the province’s constitutional rights, and boosting provincial revenue.
Two additional independently elected MPs joined a group of MPAs supported by the PTI, and the parliamentary party met as a result. There are now 91 MPAs elected to the provincial assembly that are supported by the PTI.
Ali Amin Gandapur served as the meeting’s chair in the KP Speaker Building. Attending the meeting were all of the party’s MPA-elect. Fazlullah from Kohistan and Laiq Mohammad Khan from Torghar, two independent MPAs-elect, joined PTI.
During the meeting, the MPAs-elect supported by the PTI expressed their trust in Ali Amin Gandapur’s nomination by PTI leader and ex-PM Imran Khan for the position of chief minister. Speaker of the KP Assembly Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani and the previous governor Shah Farman were also present during the meeting.
After two more join, the number of MPAs-elect supported by the PTI now stands at 91.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Gandapur stated that PTI leaders and members bravely suffered hardships and made enormous sacrifices over the past few months.
He said, “It is an honor that all of the party leaders and workers stayed united in trying times.” He declared that the Imran Khan vision would guide the next PTI government in the province. He gave the independent candidates supported by the PTI the assurance that they would be consulted on all provincial government decisions.
Dawn was informed by one of the MPAs-elect that at the parliamentary party meeting, there was a brief discussion about any party joining the provincial assembly in order to gain a seat reserved for women and non-Muslims.
Because each of PTI’s candidates ran for office separately and did not use the party’s emblem, the “bat,” the party is currently unable to secure any reserved seats. Independent candidates supported by the PTI must now affiliate with a political party in order to be eligible for the reserved seats.
In response to questions in this regard, he stated : Ali Amin’s response was unambiguous, stating that the PTI’s central leadership would decide which political party to join for its independent candidates in accordance with Imran Khan’s directives.
He claimed that PTI leaders, including as MPA-elect Shaukat Yousafzai, MNA-elect Asad Qaiser, and Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, were in contact with various national and local political parties about joining.
In response to speculations that he was considering joining the PTI-P in the provincial parliament, the MPA-elect stated that his chances of doing so were slim. The majority of PTI-P leaders broke with the PTI during a difficult period, he continued, and this caused a great deal of animosity inside the party leadership.
“In the KP context, we need to become members of any political party because by doing so, we will get a further 22 to 23 seats that are reserved for women and non-Muslims,” a PTI leader informed Dawn.
He stated that the PTI could easily form government in the province because it had 91 MPAs, but that the party would benefit from obtaining the reserved seats in the Senate and presidential elections. “With the MPAs the party secured from the share of reserved seats, we can elect four senators using MPAs; the other senators will be elected using MPAs elected on general seats,” he continued.
Following the meeting, Mr. Gandapur informed the media that the following government’s biggest obstacles would be upholding law and order, securing the province’s constitutional rights, and boosting provincial revenue.
He stated that the election of the chief minister, speaker, and deputy speaker might take place after February 22 in an assembly session. For the third time in a row, he dismissed the idea of a conflict with anyone following the establishment of the PTI government in the province.
Although there wouldn’t be a policy of retaliation, Mr. Gandapaur stated that anyone who behaved “more loyal than the king” needed to be punished.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
