Controversial statement: Disqualification of Achakzai sought

Parliamentarian had said K-P belonged to Afghanistan, its people

PESHAWAR: A petition filed at the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday sought the disqualification of nationalist leader and MNA Mahmood Khan Achakzai for a statement in which he said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa belonged to Afghans.

The petitioner urged the high court to direct the election commission to proceed against the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party president under Article 6 and revoke his membership. The petition was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Town Council-I member Zahir Shah through his lawyer Nauroz Khan.

The petition named the chief election commissioner (CEC), the federal government and NA speaker as respondents.

It added Achakzai said on July 1 that K-P was part of Afghanistan and it belonged to people from the neighbouring country and no one from the country should be harassed or deported.

The petition stated Achakzai has taken an oath to protect the Constitution. It added the MNA had violated his oath by issuing such a statement.

“He violated sections 123 and 124 of the Pakistan Penal Code and committed treason,” the petition stated. “Therefore, the NA speaker is bound to suspend his membership and ban his entry.”

The petition said the CEC had a duty to proceed against the MNA under relevant election rules and declare him disqualified. It accused the speaker and CEC of maintaining a “criminal silence” over the matter and requested PHC to direct them to take action against Achakzai.

PTI lawmakers had earlier submitted an adjournment motion in the K-P Assembly, asking the speaker to permit them to discuss the statement of Achakzai.

Fazal Elahi Khan, Arif Ahmedzai and Muhammad Jan’s adjournment motion said Achakzai’s statement created uncertainty among the people of K-P. “The statement [to an Afghan newspaper] is a conspiracy against the country and the people of the province. It is on record on print and the electronic media,” it added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2016.