Achakzai slams divvying up of PTI's reserved seats

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Thursday criticised the Constitutional Bench verdict in the reserved seats review case, saying that divvying up the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) reserved seats to other parties made a mockery of the vote.

Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, Achakzai said that the government was violating the Constitution, destroying the judiciary and disrespecting the people's mandate. The court decision, he said, deprived the PTI of its share in the reserved seats.

"We believe in the supremacy of the Constitution and the law. But here people are being enslaved," Achakzai said. "Today, the Constitution is being disrespected. Now the PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz] and the PPP [Pakistan Peoples Party] are undermining the spirit of the Constitution."

The PkMAP chief said that he might have many differences with the PTI, but still he believed that the party faced great injustices. He claimed that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) acted in a biased manner, while the Supreme Court snatched its electoral symbol of bat.

He charged that the current government also lacked credibility because it was formed at "gunpoint". He also accused National Assembly speaker of being biased. He said that remaining silent in these circumstances would be tantamount to "criminal negligence".