Says Naqvi is the only person who dared to speak in front of Field Marshal Asim Munir about Imran’s release
Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Photo: Express News
Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday claimed that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had made more efforts than anyone else to secure the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
Imran, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following convictions he and the PTI call politically motivated. Since his ouster in 2022 in a vote of no confidence, he has faced several cases, including over state gifts and an illegal marriage. Some sentences have been suspended or overturned pending appeals. He pleads not guilty.
Naqvi has been a frequent subject of criticism from Imran and his party amid their tribulations and challenges.
However, during an interview regarding Nadeem Malik Live on a private television broadcast, Gandapur said: “No one else made the same level of effort. I have said this before, within the party, and now I am saying it on air: Mohsin Naqvi made a strong effort to solve the problem. He made more efforts than anyone else to secure Imran Khan’s release.”
Gandapur said Naqvi had spoken up for Imran himself in front of the Defense Chief and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, which “no one else dared to do”. “Naqvi is the only person I have seen who can even get the field marshal to engage in a conversation. But I have not seen anyone else do that,” the former chief minister said.
He further stated that the PTI was angry with Naqvi for how he had treated the party, “including me, Imran was angry with him, but now I recognize Naqvi’s role in trying to resolve the matter”.
Gandapur also mentioned that he no longer had any contact with the Home Minister and that he had no official position to discuss the matter.
Last year, in October, Gandapur stepped down as Chief Minister of KP following the directives of the PTI founder.
Despite stepping down, Gandapur remained a strong advocate of dialogue for Imran’s release. He often emphasized that all negotiations should involve only those with genuine decision-making authority, making it clear that Imran would not engage in talks with individuals who lacked the necessary mandate.
Gandapur was noted to have a more cordial relationship with Naqvi than most others in the PTI.
