Imran’s statements on firing at Wazirabad: ANP leader fears political turmoil in country

PESHAWAR: Central General Secretary of the Awami National Party (ANP) Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s statements about the firing incident in his long march had raised many questions that may push the country into political turmoil and create unrest.

“The former prime minister should have waited for complete investigations into the firing incident before issuing any irresponsible statement as the real culprit behind the attack on his life was arrested on the spot and handed over to the police,” the ANP leader said while addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday.

Mian Iftikhar said the ANP leadership had already condemned the firing and demanded a full probe into the case but the statements of the PTI chief, hospital managements and circumstantial evidence had turned the incident controversial.

Flanked by other party leaders, Syed Aqil Shah, Khushdil Khan, Member Provincial Assembly Shagufta Malik and other ANP leaders and workers, Mian Iftikhar said that the PTI chief had no trust in his own government in the Punjab where the firing incident had happened.

He recalled that the PTI workers had arrested the accused red-handed and handed him over to the police but still Imran Khan was insisting on lodging a first information report against the prime minister, interior minister and s senior Army official.

“It is a good omen that Army and ISI chiefs declared themselves neutral and apolitical but Imran Khan is pushing them into political matters by issuing statements against them,” he said and added that all the state institutions, including the Pakistan Army should remain within their constitutional domains.

He said the ANP had always called for genuine democracy, the supremacy of the Parliament and the rule of law but Imran Khan had encouraged the military establishment when he was in power.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain condemned the alleged video about Senator Azam Swati family life and said the parliamentary committee constituted by the Senate chairman should thoroughly probe the matter.

“The FIA [Federal Investigation Agency] had termed the video fake and fabricated but the committee must investigate to know who was behind this fake video and why it was circulated at a time when Senator Azam Swati had questioned some elements behind his arrest and torture,” the ANP leader said and demanded an investigation into the recent killing of anchor person Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

To a question, the ANP leader said the appointment of the new army chief was the constitutional right of the prime minister and all the political parties and institutions must accept the new army chief to be appointed at the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Appointment of army chief should not be made controversial,” he said and added that that the judiciary should play its constitutional role and respect the Parliament and other bodies such as the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The ANP leader said the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa instead of using its resources and ministers against the federal government should concentrate on improving the law and order situation where a fresh wave of militancy and insurgency had resurfaced.

“The provincial government has failed to combat the fresh of the wave of insurgency in Swat and other parts of the province where the local people arranged big gatherings against the re-emergence of militancy,” he said and added that the ANP was not against peace talks with the Taliban but these should be discussed in the Parliament and got approved from the legislature as well.