Opposition demands KP emergency withdrawal
ISLAMABAD: The embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allies on Wednesday accused the federal government of using security concerns to justify an assault on democratic rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the withdrawal of the emergency and governor’s rule and warning that confrontation with political opponents could deepen the country’s instability. Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the…
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allies denounced the federal government's imposition of security measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), accusing the administration of seeking to subvert democratic governance. Opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to abandon the emergency and engage directly with the opposition, offering to meet Sharif in Parliament.
He emphasized the dangers of escalating tensions through the use of force. Achakzai defended former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi, urging people to resist injustice peacefully. He warned that the authorities risked transforming political leaders into martyrs rather than resolving their grievances. Achakzai also criticized restrictions on Khan's access to visitors, calling it a criminal act.
He urged opposition representatives to meet Khan and attempt to restart negotiations. Achakzai argued that the opposition merely seeks to meet with its leader and questioned the government's claim of delivering peace. He highlighted Pakistan's history of military rule and the resulting rise of terrorism. Achakzai also expressed concerns over the killings of prominent figures in FATA and alleged that Pakistan had failed to address the root causes of violence.
He questioned why Parliament was not consulted before the imposition of emergency and governor's rule in KP. Achakzai alleged widespread corruption involving trillions of rupees and proposed an inquiry committee headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan denounced October 11 as a black day and demanded the immediate withdrawal of emergency and governor's rule, along with an apology for the assault on democratic rights.
He welcomed PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's support for negotiations but criticized the government for removing an elected provincial government while invoking democracy. Gohar accused India's intelligence agency of involvement in terrorist activity and demanded counter-terrorism operations under the National Action Plan (NAP).
He also criticized the detention of Khan's sisters and alleged that authorities were obstructing essential supplies to the imprisoned ex-premier.
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