The Awami National Party, a ally of the PPP-led ruling coalition, is seeking to put to rest the ongoing guessing game about the fate of the current political set-up in the country. Its chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said that Pakistan cannot afford any “undemocratic move” at this juncture.
The sudden departure of President Asif Ali Zardari to Dubai for medical treatment trigger rumours of a military coup in the country – though the government has quashed these speculations.
“I do not see anything happening,” Asfandyar told a news conference after a meeting of his party’s Central Executive Committee meeting. “Rumours cannot derail the current democratic system in the country,” he added.
To a question about the government’s response to last month’s Nato air raid in the Mohmand tribal region, the ANP chief said that his party had suggested to the government to take a tough decision to avert any such incidents in future.
Afghanistan has blamed Pakistan-based Quetta Shura of Taliban militants for the assassination of its top peace negotiator Burhanuddin Rabbani. But Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Tuesday that Afghan refugees were behind Rabbani’s killing. However Asfandyar Wali said both countries should make sure that their soil was not used against each other.
Responding to a question about the May 2 US raid in Abbottabad in which al Qaeda chief Osma bin Laden was killed, Asfandyar said had the country’s sovereignty been protected, the incident would have not happened. Asfandyar said that his party has formed a ‘manifesto committee’, with Haji Adeel as its head, to draft a new manifesto keeping in view ground realities.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2011.
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There can be no smoke without a fire.
If all the political parties, in the government or opposition, come out with the same clear message only then can any potential threat to democracy be thwarted. Let's not forget that there are hawks in the military establishment who are constantly on the lookout for a possible adventure. And the tragedy is that they always find chaudrys, arbabs, khans and the like willing to support them. There is need for a binding pact between all political parties where each one take the oath never to cooperate with elements trying to derail democracy.