ISLAMABAD; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has reportedly said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should resign if he cannot improve the law and order situation or address pressing governance issues in the province, sources told Geo News on Saturday.
“If Ali Amin Gandapur cannot restore peace, he should step down,” Khan was quoted as saying. He further suggested that if Gandapur is unable to resolve administrative challenges, a more capable individual should be given the opportunity.
Pakistan has witnessed a significant surge in terrorist incidents, particularly in KP and Balochistan, since the Taliban returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021. According to a police report accessed by Geo News, KP recorded at least 476 terrorism incidents during the first seven months of 2025.
The violence claimed the lives of 121 civilians and injured 301 others. Additionally, 66 police personnel were martyred and 90 sustained injuries. The report also noted that 10 Levies personnel were martyred and 8 injured, while the Frontier Corps (FC) suffered 48 deaths and 109 injuries. Other security forces lost 55 personnel and saw 112 wounded in the same period.
Khan’s Jail Privileges Restored
Sources also confirmed that Imran Khan’s jail privileges have recently been reinstated, allowing him access to books and newspapers. He was also permitted a one-hour phone call with his sons a day earlier.
During the call, Khan reportedly invited his children to visit him in prison but learned that their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs) had expired. He clarified to jail authorities that he had never asked his children to come to Pakistan for political protests.
This comes after Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, claimed that Khan’s sons—Suleman (28) and Kasim (26)—would participate in planned protests in August for their father’s release. However, later reports suggested that Khan had discouraged them from travelling to Pakistan or engaging in political activity.
PTI leadership denied those reports, affirming that both sons still intended to visit Pakistan to support their father.
Aleema’s Remarks on NICOP, Mishal Yousafzai
Meanwhile, Imran Khan reportedly disapproved of Aleema Khan’s recent political commentary, including her remarks about Mishal Yousafzai’s possible Senate candidacy, calling them unnecessary and advising her to avoid making political statements.
Earlier, Aleema told media that Suleman and Kasim had applied for fresh NICOPs, which allow Pakistani expatriates visa-free travel to Pakistan. She added that while the tracking number for the application existed, embassy staff claimed they had not received any application.
According to her, a friend contacted the Pakistani ambassador, who stated that permission from the Ministry of Interior was required. Aleema claimed she responded, “Then take it from [Interior Minister] Mohsin Naqvi.” However, she noted confusion over whether the Ministry of Interior or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was responsible for visa issuance, and added that the ambassador was no longer responding to their inquiries.
Imran Khan, 71, has been incarcerated since August 2023 and is facing multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism, following his removal from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022.
