Ironic: Nawaz didn’t let Articles 62, 63 amended: Asfandyar

ANP chief calls for restoring the two constitutional provisions to their original form

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) Central President Asfandyar Wali Khan has said his party tried its best to restore Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution ‘in their original form’ but it was the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif who was against the idea.

“The ANP tried its best to restore these articles to their original form, but Mian Nawaz Sharif was the biggest hurdle in our way. But today it is Sharif, who has to suffer the most due to these provisions,” Asfandyar said on Saturday in a reference to the Supreme Court’s Friday verdict to disqualify Sharif.

The ANP chief was addressing a press conference at Bilour House after the party’s advisory body meeting. Senior party leaders Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Afrasiab Khattak, Amir Haider Hoti, Bashir Matta, Latif Afridi, Mian Iftikhar Husain and others were also present.



Asfandyar said Articles 62 and 63 were being misused and called for their immediate amendment in a bid ‘to restore it in its original form’. “However, we do not want to challenge authority of the Supreme Court, and despite hundreds of reservations we accept the court’s verdict against,” he said.

He said no one could fulfill the requirement of qualifications as specified in both of these articles.

“Before General Ziaul Haq’s amendments, there was neither any ambiguity in the Articles 62 and 63 nor could they be misused against political opponents, but later on the amendments made it difficult for politicians to prove their fitness for election,” he said.

He said the ANP had earlier clarified that it would accept the SC’s verdict and had adopted a neutral position since the Panama Papers episode was brought to the court.



“However, all this is leading us to a situation where there will be only the king’s party and no honourable politicians but only the king’s men. Those who will obey will be free to rule while others will be brought to accountability under Articles 63 and 62. We are heading towards such a situation, unfortunately.”

He said the parliament’s authority should be brought to the level, where it was envisaged under the Constitution. “It would be for the better if political issues were discussed and resolved in parliament instead of streets and courts. For God’s sake, don’t surrender the constitutional authority of parliament to the courts,” he urged the politicians.

Talking about the possibility of early election, he said the ANP was always ready for elections but wished the elected government to complete its tenure. “The ANP believes people and opposition should not accept the tradition of accepting toppling of an elected government before completion of its tenure.”

He said like other political parties, the ANP also had political differences with Sharif on several issues including Fata reforms, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and implementation of the National Action Plan. “But our party did not take the country towards destabilisation as the country cannot afford any further instability,” he added.

Separately, addressing a public gathering at Utmanzai of Charsadda on Saturday evening, Asfandyar said unfortunately no prime minister – including both who were politically elected as well as those who were installed by dictators – had ever completed his five years tenure since the independence.

“In developed countries, public officeholders always complete their tenure, and when they complete their tenure, they return to the masses and the state progresses,” he said.