Asad Qaiser condemns arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, vows continued protests

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser Sunday condemned the arrest of Ali Amin Gandapur, a key leader from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling it unprecedented.

"It has never happened in history that the Chief Executive of a province was arrested," said Qaiser, labeling the act as not only an attack on Ali Amin but on the entire province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Qaiser criticized the government's actions and legislative changes, accusing them of bypassing transparency.

"You are changing legislation and hiding it from the nation. If you have an amendment, bring it before us," he stated, warning that any amendments could suspend the fundamental rights of citizens. The former Speaker further added that his party would boycott all proceedings in both the Assembly and Senate until the amendments are made public.

Qaiser also addressed the ongoing protests, asserting that they would continue until their demands are met.

He demanded the immediate release of detained protesters and members of parliament, while expressing solidarity with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam's (JUI) march.

"We want to protest peacefully," he affirmed, but warned that a nationwide protest would follow if the demands were not addressed within 24 hours.

Speaking on international issues, Qaiser voiced his support for the Palestinian cause, stating that the entire Pakistani nation stands with Palestine.

Despite political differences, he pledged his party's participation in any national meeting on the matter. Qaiser also praised Maulana Fazlur Rahman for his leadership, acknowledging his contributions.

He said over a thousand workers have been arrested and demanded their immediate release.

He said if the workers are not released, the protests would be spread across the country.

Qaiser said the matter of amendments  is a matter of national concern not just for his party.

"This is not Imran Khan's problem; this is the whole nation's problem," he concluded.