Gohar to move PHC against K-P emergency

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Monday said he would personally challenge the emergency and governor's rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday (today), as the party vowed to continue its long march.

Speaking at a press conference outside Parliament alongside Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Opposition Leader in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Gohar said the party would decide at its parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday how to oppose the measures in the provincial assembly.

"We will raise our voices on every forum. Our long march is ongoing, and our protests are continuing. We will not accept this," he said, adding that the demonstrations would continue.

Gohar called October 11 a "black day" in Pakistan's democratic history, saying the people of K-P had rejected emergency measures and governor's rule, and that the provincial chief minister had been kept in custody and claimed that supporters of the party were in jail.

"We demand that the measures taken on October 11 be withdrawn," he said, adding that the party would challenge the decision through all channels. He said he would personally challenge the decisions taken on October 11 in the Peshawar High Court, adding that the party was also pursuing a legal challenge.

The PTI chairman accused the government of showing stubbornness and said the provincial government machinery had been changed abruptly. He said the party had remained in contact with the government until the very last moment, but the situation had deteriorated.

"The federation will be strong only when the provinces are strong," he said.

Gohar urged the government not to divide the public in the fight against terrorism, calling terrorism a "menace for Pakistan". He said Pakistan's future lay in democracy and that the federation would only be strong when its provinces were strong.

Governor's rule challenged in PHC

The federal government's decision to impose emergency measures and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was challenged in the Peshawar High Court on Monday.

The petitioner prayed the court to declare the move unconstitutional and suspend the governor's rule notification pending a final verdict.

The petition, filed by Advocate Salman, names President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi as respondents.

It contended that the federal action was unconstitutional, illegal and mala fide.

It further argues that the measure violates fundamental rights, provincial autonomy, the democratic mandate and established constitutional principles.

The petitioner has asked the court to declare the measures null and void and suspend the notification imposing governor's rule until the case is decided.

The plea maintains that the federal government's intervention infringes upon the rights of the province and its elected representatives and runs contrary to democratic and constitutional norms.

The federal government announced the imposition of emergency measures and governor's rule in K-P on October 11, citing the deteriorating law and order situation and an increase in terrorist incidents in the province.

The measures were imposed under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution.