KP Assembly passes resolution against move to ban PTI

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday passed a resolution against the federal government’s move to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

KP Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights, Aftab Alam Khan Afridi, moved the resolution. It stated that PTI would move court if the ban was imposed on the party.

The resolution said the federal government ministers were giving out statements about banning the party despite the Supreme Court’s recent verdict which had accepted PTI to be a political entity.

The resolution said the ban on the PTI, if placed, would be a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution.

The minister through another resolution demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and all the four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The resolution accused the ECP of working against the PTI at every forum during the general elections.

It said a reference would be filed in the Supreme Court if the CEC and all the four members of the ECP did not quit.

The third resolution said the federal government would be responsible for the consequences if it launched Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.

The opposition members staged a walkout when Speaker Babar Saleem Swati did not allow them to address the house.

The opposition members were highly critical when the law minister was moving resolutions in the KP Assembly. They asked the speaker to provide them an opportunity to express their opinions on the issues.

The speaker ruled that the minister should be allowed to complete the process to move the resolution. He promised to give the mike to the opposition members later. This did not convince the opposition members who left the house in anger. The speaker tasked the ministers to bring the protesting opposition members back to the house which was done and they rejoined the proceedings.

The assembly passed the fourth resolution asking the federal government to fix the price of electricity in the province up to Rs15 per unit.

The resolution was moved by Sunni Ittehad Council s (SIC) Fazal Elahi stating that that electricity is being sold to the public at Rs70 80 per unit despite the fact that it costs only Rs2 to produce. The resolution demanded that the federal government provide electricity to the province at a price of Rs10 to Rs15 per unit.