Executive committee meeting: ANP warns against selective accountability of political rivals
Asfandyar Wali tells PTI to let NAB look into the wrongdoings of its ministers too
PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
Accountability should be across the board instead of selective persecution of political rivals, said Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali.
Accusing the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government of political victimisation, he said the corruption watchdog should be independent and not a tool of controlling opposition.
Asfandyar was talking to the media at Bilour House on Thursday after the party’s executive committee meeting.
Pointing towards the alleged corruption charges against the last CM of K-P Pervez Khattak, the ANP chief said, “National Accountability Bureau should also address the mega corruption of PTI’s defence minister.”
Besides, the incumbent speaker of K-P assembly has been accused of nepotism and misusing the speaker’s office, Asfandyar said asking the PTI leadership to first set a precedent and then set out for accountability of opponents.
The ANP chief trashed any idea of talks with PTI. “We are not in contact with the PTI regime at provincial level or central level, we never nor would ever support PTI in their unconstitutional acts,” he said.
Asfandyar asserted that Pakistan has never witnessed the record devaluation of rupee against the US dollar as seen under this government. The depreciation of rupee value has not only increased the burden of foreign loans but also put the poor masses under great burden of runaway inflation.
“The lower-income people have become vulnerable to food-insecurity amid high inflation triggered by macro-economic factors of fresh borrowings and rupee depreciation,” he said.
“It is a matter of shame for us as nations, how PTI rulers consider it a big success when they secure a new loan forgetting that the loans have to be paid back too,” Asfandyar said.
While commenting on the post-merger situation he showed his dismay over the persistent legal and administrative vacuum tribal district and added that though the government has abolished the administrative system in tribal regions they haven’t yet taken any serious effort for enforcing the alternative system, promised at the time of erstwhile Fata merger with the province.
The alternative administration and legal system is missing in the tribal areas and pressed on the point that It would be much better for the country if it is filled as soon as possible said Asfandyar and warned that “if such a vacuum prevails for long, it would have very negative consequences on the future of the region.”
The ANP central president showed satisfactions over the abolishing of the British-era system, “but still our party has reservations that there is no law prevalent in tribal areas.”
Talking about the investigation into the kidnaping and murder of SP Tahir Dawar, Asfandyar said that the final report is lying on the table of prime minister, but it is not being shared with the nation.
He warned that if the names behind the kidnapping and murder of the officer were kept secret such brutal incidents would continue to happen.
Asfandyar said that his party would fully participate in the elections to be held for general seats of the provincial assembly in newly merged areas.
The ANP chief said that he would visit every merged area for holding public rallies in connection with the elections.
Asfandyar expressed concern over making one provincial assembly seat for erstwhile frontier regions (FRs) which range from Dara Adam Khel to Balochistan border.
He reiterated call for implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and added that had NAP been implemented in toto, the killing incidences of SP Tahir Dawar, Naqibullah Mehsud and Haroon Bilour would not have occurred.
He challenged the government to make his property public, if any, in Malaysia and Dubai and called for indiscriminate, impartial and transparent accountability of all irrespective of status and position.
With additional input by APP
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2019.
Accountability should be across the board instead of selective persecution of political rivals, said Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali.
Accusing the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government of political victimisation, he said the corruption watchdog should be independent and not a tool of controlling opposition.
Asfandyar was talking to the media at Bilour House on Thursday after the party’s executive committee meeting.
Pointing towards the alleged corruption charges against the last CM of K-P Pervez Khattak, the ANP chief said, “National Accountability Bureau should also address the mega corruption of PTI’s defence minister.”
Besides, the incumbent speaker of K-P assembly has been accused of nepotism and misusing the speaker’s office, Asfandyar said asking the PTI leadership to first set a precedent and then set out for accountability of opponents.
The ANP chief trashed any idea of talks with PTI. “We are not in contact with the PTI regime at provincial level or central level, we never nor would ever support PTI in their unconstitutional acts,” he said.
Asfandyar asserted that Pakistan has never witnessed the record devaluation of rupee against the US dollar as seen under this government. The depreciation of rupee value has not only increased the burden of foreign loans but also put the poor masses under great burden of runaway inflation.
“The lower-income people have become vulnerable to food-insecurity amid high inflation triggered by macro-economic factors of fresh borrowings and rupee depreciation,” he said.
“It is a matter of shame for us as nations, how PTI rulers consider it a big success when they secure a new loan forgetting that the loans have to be paid back too,” Asfandyar said.
While commenting on the post-merger situation he showed his dismay over the persistent legal and administrative vacuum tribal district and added that though the government has abolished the administrative system in tribal regions they haven’t yet taken any serious effort for enforcing the alternative system, promised at the time of erstwhile Fata merger with the province.
The alternative administration and legal system is missing in the tribal areas and pressed on the point that It would be much better for the country if it is filled as soon as possible said Asfandyar and warned that “if such a vacuum prevails for long, it would have very negative consequences on the future of the region.”
The ANP central president showed satisfactions over the abolishing of the British-era system, “but still our party has reservations that there is no law prevalent in tribal areas.”
Talking about the investigation into the kidnaping and murder of SP Tahir Dawar, Asfandyar said that the final report is lying on the table of prime minister, but it is not being shared with the nation.
He warned that if the names behind the kidnapping and murder of the officer were kept secret such brutal incidents would continue to happen.
Asfandyar said that his party would fully participate in the elections to be held for general seats of the provincial assembly in newly merged areas.
The ANP chief said that he would visit every merged area for holding public rallies in connection with the elections.
Asfandyar expressed concern over making one provincial assembly seat for erstwhile frontier regions (FRs) which range from Dara Adam Khel to Balochistan border.
He reiterated call for implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and added that had NAP been implemented in toto, the killing incidences of SP Tahir Dawar, Naqibullah Mehsud and Haroon Bilour would not have occurred.
He challenged the government to make his property public, if any, in Malaysia and Dubai and called for indiscriminate, impartial and transparent accountability of all irrespective of status and position.
With additional input by APP
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2019.