CHARSADDA: Accusing the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of failing to deliver the goods, Awami National Party general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain has demanded snap polls in the country.

He also asked the military establishment not to interfere in the electoral process and respect the people’s mandate.

“It is time to get rid of the incompetent and selected government and hold fresh and transparent elections in the country as the ruling PTI has miserably failed to deliver and lost moral justification to stay in power,” the ANP leader told reporters after visiting the house of party activist and artist Jehangir Adil here on Friday to condole his death.Mr Hussain said the people suffered from escalating prices, growing unemployment and lawlessness due to the government’s flawed policies.

“The people are fed up with the government and want fresh elections in the country for their relief and development,” he said.

The ANP leader said an elected government with the people’s mandate was the only hope of the people in the current crises.

Party leader Iftikhar says govt has failed to deliver

He said the National Accountability Bureau had lost credibility after its harsh criticism by the Supreme Court.

“The ruling PTI is using the NAB against political opponents. The NAB is making false corruption references and cases against the leaders of opposition parties but is silent about the government’s corruption in BRT, afforestation and Malam Jabba projects,” he said.

The ANP leader said petrol, sugar and wheat ‘mafias’ had surrounded Premier Imran Khan.

He said a probe commission had found Jehangir Tareen guilty of sugar crisis but the premier sent him abroad with protocol to save him from accountability.

Mr Hussain said before coming to power, Imran Khan used to be a facilitator of terrorists and after becoming the prime minister, he had become a friend of terrorists.He wondered how the government could pardon former spokesman for banned TTP Ihsanullah Ihsan, who was the killer of Army Public School students, 1,000 ANP leaders and workers, and his only son.

Mr Hussain criticised the government for introducing a presidential ordinance to give ‘relief’ to Indian agent Kalbushan Jhadav and said the government should legislate on the matter.

He said the ANP would not let the government bulldoze parliament.The ANP leader said those advocating proposed amendments to the 18th Constitutional Amendment wanted to break the country.

He said the 18th Constitutional Amendment guaranteed a strong and united federation.

Mr Iftikhar paid tribute to late Jehangir Adil over his services for the party.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2020