PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has asked political forces to join hands to strengthen parliament and democracy in the country.

Speaking at a meeting of the party office-bearers belonging to Swat and Buner districts on Saturday, he expressed concerns over the worsening law and order in the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and asked for resolution of public’s issues on priority basis.

The meeting discussed the prevailing political situation in the country, and efforts of QWP’s leaders and workers to strengthen the QWP at grassroots level in their respective areas.

Aftab Sherpao contended that the country was facing political instability, which inflicted bad impact on the national economy. He said the rulers were mulling to bring the constitutional package in a bid to save their government, which he described, would prove to be a futile exercise.

He said though the government convened the joint session of the parliament to pass the constitutional amendment at midnight to pave the way for the establishment of the constitutional court, even its lawmakers and allies had not read the proposed draft of the legislation and had agreed to support it blindly.

QWP chief asserted that the judiciary was already performing its constitutional duties and it was unnecessary to establish constitutional court.

He said all state institutions should work within the constitutional ambit, which was the only way to strengthen democracy and put the country on the path to progress. He even did not rule out the possibility of fresh general elections to bring an end to the “hybrid” system imposed on the country after the general elections of 2024.

Underscoring the need for the supremacy of parliament, he said that there was a dire need to let the people choose their true representatives.

He said that experiments should be stopped so that democracy could flourish in the country. He maintained that a truly elected government could work for the welfare of the people. He advised the government to stop victimising its political adversaries as this would prove counterproductive.

He was also critical of the provincial government and said the PTI rulers were least bothered to secure and protect the rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Aftab Sherpao said corruption was rampant and the people had lost hope and trust in the incumbent provincial government. He feared the situation would further deteriorate if corrective steps were not taken.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2024