PESHAWAR; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and senior PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur declared on Saturday that his provincial government did not support any military operation in the province.
Addressing a PTI rally in Peshawar, he warned: “We will not allow any operation and do not support it. Federal government, listen carefully, the KP government does not support displacement or operations.”
The chief minister urged federal institutions to hold talks with Afghanistan to address terrorism. “We don’t want war; we will raise our voice against it,” he said.
Gandapur’s stance has shifted in recent months. In July, he referred to the armed forces as “guests” present in KP at the request of the provincial government. However, later he condemned civilian casualties in Bajaur, calling such operations counterproductive.
Most recently, he acknowledged that drone strikes, mortar shelling, and airstrikes against militants fell under the constitutional domain of the military, which the provincial government could not obstruct.
At Saturday’s rally, Gandapur also appealed to the judiciary to deliver justice to PTI founder Imran Khan, his wife, and the people of Pakistan in accordance with the Constitution.
He urged Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to “play his role in resolving Imran’s issue,” just as Imran had supported the forces during the May conflict with India.
The rally also featured video messages from Imran Khan and speeches by senior leaders, including Azam Swati, who vowed to continue resisting “cruelty” until Imran’s release.
According to PTI, supporters gathered from across the country, while security arrangements included the deployment of 1,451 police personnel and sniper teams. Over 500 traffic officials were also assigned duties to manage routes around the venue.
