Peshawar:
The controversy on the withdrawal of the security of the Central President of the National Party of Awami (ANP), Aimal Wali Khan, has deepened, with contradictory allegations of the provincial government and the party despite the reported directives of the chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to ensure his protection.
According to the ANP, all the security personnel assigned to Aimal Wali Khan was withdrawn despite the explicit instructions of chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to maintain his safety. The party accused the provincial police of challenging the chief minister and acting on the orders of the Federal Interior Ministry.
ANP spokesperson Ehsanullah, in a strongly drafted declaration, said that this decision was to “suspend the Constitution in practice”, alleging that the so-called “hybrid regime” burst provincial autonomy.
He added that by ignoring the directives of the chief minister, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police chief had effectively canceled the previous orders issued for the protection of the Aimal Wali, a decision he described as a “serious violation of the provincial authority”.
Aimal Wali Khan himself had previously announced on social networks that his security had been withdrawn, arousing strong criticism from the party against the provincial and federal authorities.
Meanwhile, the special assistant of the Minister of Information, Lawyer Muhammad Ali Saif, rejected the concerns of the ANP, ensuring that the security of Aimial Wali would be fully assured in accordance with the directives of the chief. “Despite the political differences, we will not compromise on its security,” he said, adding even with humor, “if necessary, I will personally be careful.”
The provincial government spokesman also said that no security withdrawal had taken place. “All the reports suggesting the opposite are baseless and misleading,” he said, adding that the regional police officer remained in touch with Aimal Wali Khan to finalize the list of trust staff to deploy for his protection.
