On Wednesday, Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, criticized Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).
Gandapur claimed that Rehman doesn’t have any support, even in his own home, and that one of his workers could beat him in an election.
Gandapur, speaking to the media in Islamabad, suggested that Rehman is trying to negotiate his worth as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party seeks support for its protest movement. Gandapur also appeared in court today for cases related to leaked audio, breaking Section 144, and alleged vandalism at a judicial complex in Islamabad.
His comments come after the PTI and JUI-F agreed to increase their communication at the party level. This followed a phone call between Asad Qaiser and Rehman, where they discussed the current political situation and the process of forming a government.
Gandapur said he would welcome Rehman’s support for the PTI. He quoted PTI founder Imran Khan as saying he is ready to work with anyone for the benefit of Pakistan.
Gandapur also criticized the government led by Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said the country suffered due to the attempt to bring the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to power and that the country cannot afford any more experiments like this.
During a court hearing today, PTI leaders including Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Ali Nawaz Awan Amir Mughal, and Shibli Faraz appeared before Judge Tahir Abbas for various cases related to vandalism during riots last year. The court extended Gandapur and Faraz’s bail until April 27.