Judicial commission: All parties must be considered, says Amir Hoti

ANP K-P president says the matter does not only concern PTI and PML-N, but all political forces.

MARDAN:

Awami National Party K-P President Amir Haider Hoti said a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections must be formed after taking all political parties into confidence. He said the matter concerns all political forces, not just the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Addressing a convention organised by the National Youth Organisation (NYO) at the Mardan Club on Saturday evening, ANP’s provincial chief welcomed successful negotiations between the PTI and PML-N over the formation of a commission to investigate the alleged rigging. He reiterated that election reforms and rigging during polls concerned all quarters.

Hoti said ANP suffered from widespread rigging in the last general elections, adding party leaders were restricted to their homes and could not launch a proper campaign due to reported militant threats. The ANP provincial president was confident of his party’s victory in the local government polls, saying it would beat the current forces in power who “claimed their position with promises of change”.



He alleged that PTI was least interested in K-P’s issues as it leaders were busy enjoying the corridors of power in Islamabad. He vowed to live up to the dreams and aspirations of people by restoring peace if ANP came into power again. Hoti said the youth of the nation was free to make its own decisions and it was high time they spread the message of Bacha Khan to everyone in the province.

The port city’s security

Hoti said the federal government must conduct an unbiased investigation about the law and order situation in Karachi; especially in light of the revelations made by Saulat Mirza. The death row inmate claimed Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain ordered the assassination of the then Karachi Electric Supply Corporation head Shahid Hamid in the port city in 1997.

Hoti urged strict action against those involved in criminal activities and creating unrest in the financial hub of the country. He added the government should play its role in restoring peace in Karachi as it would not only benefit Sindh, but all the other provinces.

He later administered oaths to the newly-formed cabinet of the Mardan National Youth Organisation and appreciated their effort to organise such an event.

K-P ANP General Secretary Aimal Wali Khan, NYO Central President Khushal Khan Khattak, the organisation’s central general secretary Fakhruddin, former MNA Himayatulalh Mayar and several other leaders also spoke on the occasion.

Agreement  

After a tussle that spanned months, the PTI and PML-N finally agreed on the terms of reference to form a judicial commission to investigate PTI’s rigging allegations. Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, who was flanked by PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PTI General Secretary Jahangir Tareen, announced during a press conference in Islamabad on Friday that the commission would be formed.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2015.