Achakzai warns opposition may take to streets

PESHAWAR:

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday warned that the opposition would take to the streets if its concerns were not addressed through the courts, saying the final phase of its struggle against the government had begun.

"We want decisions to be made in courts. If that does not happen, matters will move to the streets," Achakzai said, calling for peaceful protests against the government.

He was speaking to reporters outside the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

Achakzai said the 1973 Constitution had been drafted with great difficulty and recalled that Article 58(2) had led to the dissolution of four assemblies. He said the opposition had no enmity with either Nawaz Sharif or Asif Ali Zardari.

The K-P CM represented 40 million people and had been ridiculed, he said.

Referring to protests against inflation in France, Achakzai said millions of people had taken to the streets and set things on fire, but the French police had not fired a single bullet.

"We will also have to stage peaceful protests against this government," he said, adding that the final phase of the struggle had begun.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said the PTI had challenged both emergency and governor's rule, alleging that the measures were undemocratic and unconstitutional.

He said the mistreatment of party workers was continuing, adding that the party had always described terrorism as a menace and consistently supported the federal government in the fight against it.

"We had our own government, and our mandate was snatched away," Gohar said.

He alleged that 12 PTI members of the National Assembly and 14 members of the provincial assembly had been picked up, claiming that raids were being conducted at party members' homes and that they were being harassed.

Gohar said the office of a District Development Advisory Committee chairman had been demolished and plaques had been removed.