Rawalpindi, September 16, 2025: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday defended Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against allegations linked to the May 9 violence, while criticising what he called attempts to exploit the sacrifices of martyrs for political gain.
Speaking to reporters in Rawalpindi, Gandapur, himself from a military family, said his brother had fought in the Kargil war. He described the use of martyrs’ sacrifices for political point-scoring as “disgraceful” and termed recent remarks by federal ministers “deeply regrettable.” The chief minister also announced that he would personally visit the family of Shaheed Major Adnan.
On broader political issues, Gandapur reiterated PTI’s demand for dialogue and “policy-based solutions.” “We have consistently called for meaningful talks. The only way forward is through policies and concrete actions,” he said.
Addressing the May 9 events, Gandapur distanced PTI from the violence, stressing that the incidents were not sanctioned by the party leadership. “May 9 was never part of our party policy. Any violations were individual actions,” he maintained.
Reaffirming his allegiance to PTI founder Imran Khan, Gandapur said Khan remains his leader and clarified that the party’s official Twitter account is still managed by those who were authorised by the former prime minister. “PTI continues to follow the vision of its founding leader and no other ideology,” he added.
