KP CM urges PM Shehbaz to halt arbitrary arrests of Pakhtuns in Islamabad

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to avoid actions that could alienate citizens and jeopardise national unity.

Expressing concern over the alleged arbitrary arrests of KP residents in Islamabad, the Chief Minister penned a three-page letter to the Prime Minister, describing these actions as “targeted at Pashtuns.”

He recalled the country's fundamental principle of equal rights for all citizens, emphasising the need to avoid policies that could lead to the alienation or subordination of any group.

The superiority of one community over the other would cause conflicts and factionalisation in society; with long-lasting repercussions.

He said the policies that prompted racism were being rejected universally, and the societies in the world moved beyond the thoughts of division and embraced unity regardless of colour, race, and ethnicity. 

Chief Minister Gandapur stressed the need for a comprehensive solution to the ongoing political uncertainty via constructive dialogues and political and preventing marginalisation of a specific. 

Additionally, he demanded that the Prime Minister address the alleged bogus cases lodged against Pashtuns and reassess the current situation in Pakistan.

Advocate Imaan Mazari and several activists took to social media to highlight concerns about the alleged ethnic profiling of Pashtuns in Islamabad.

While the Islamabad Police have categorically denied these allegations, Imaan stated on X that the Inspector General of Police agreed to investigate the matter.

It is pertinent to mention here that in the aftermath of the recent protest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), dozens of party leaders were charged under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act. These cases reportedly stemmed from disruptions to law and order in the federal capital and interference with the duties of law enforcement agencies.

However, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted bail to PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser, Shahram Tarakai, Shehryar Afridi, Zartaj Gul, Aftab Alam, Khadija Shah, Nadia Khattak, Shibli Faraz, Raof Hassan, Dawar Kundi, Imran Tahir, Faisal Tarakai, and Raja Basharat.