CM Gandapur breaks silence on shelling over PPP KP workers

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has opened up on the recent shelling on Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers, ARY News reported.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Gandapur stated that the action was not ordered by him but was carried out under the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the Red Zone.

He emphasized that his government supports the right to protest for all political parties, a stance he attributed to guidance from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

KP Chief Minister alleged that PPP workers attempted to enter the Red Zone, where they were stopped, and the shelling occurred as per protocol. Gandapur also accused the PPP of politically undermining its founder, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, claiming they had “killed Bhutto politically as well.”

On the economic front, Gandapur claimed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had praised KP’s fiscal management, highlighting that the province achieved a surplus of over PKR 200 billion without taking any loans.

He questioned why provinces like Sindh and Balochistan, governed by PPP chief ministers, had not achieved similar surpluses.

The chief minister reiterated that his government had met its financial targets, positioning KP as a model of fiscal discipline.

Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly condemned the tear gas shelling on a PPP rally in Peshawar held under the “Save the Province Movement.”

He stated that such oppressive tactics will not intimidate the party, and the struggle against the corrupt and incompetent provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will continue.

In his statement, Bilawal said that by obstructing a peaceful protest, the KP government tried to conceal its rampant corruption.

He expressed regret over the use of tear gas against peaceful political workers protesting lawlessness and unemployment in the province.

Bilawal added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s violent crackdown on unarmed political workers is a sign of cowardice.

The “Save the Province Movement” has now become the voice of every citizen in KP, he said. Bilawal emphasized that PPP workers are not afraid of batons or repression and are fully prepared to face the corrupt provincial regime.

He remarked that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have seen the true fascist face of the PTI-led provincial government.