Peshawar:
The controversy of the withdrawal of security from the Awami National Party (ANP) Central President Aimal Wali Khan has been elaborated with conflicting claims from the provincial government and the party despite the Khyber-Pakhwa Chief Minister’s reported directives to ensure his protection.
According to ANP, all security staff who were awarded Aimal Wali Khan were withdrawn despite chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s explicit instructions on maintaining his security. The party accused the provincial police of taking care of the minister of chief and acting after orders from the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Anp spokesman Ehsanullah said in a heavily formulated statement that the move was to “suspend the Constitution in practice” in which he claimed that the so-called “hybrid regime” undermines provincial autonomy.
He added that by ignoring the director’s directives, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police chief effectively canceled previous orders issued to Aimal Wali’s protection, a step he described as a “serious violation of provincial authority.”
Aimal Wali Khan had even announced on social media himself that his security had withdrawn, withdrew sharply criticism from the party against both provincial and federal authorities.
Meanwhile, special assistant to Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, AP’s concerns and assured that Aimal Wali’s security would be fully secured in accordance with the director’s directives. “Despite political differences, we will not compromise on his safety,” he said even added humorously, “if necessary I personally will be watching for him.”
The provincial government’s spokesman also stated that no security extraction had occurred. “All reports suggesting that otherwise are baseless and misleading,” he said, adding that the regional police officer remained in contact with Aimal Wali Khan to complete the list of trusted staff to be deployed for his protection.
