PESHAWAR: Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP), a coalition partner in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, has announced to fully support the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s ‘Azadi March’ on Islamabad on August 14. It claimed that about 100,000 of the party workers from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will participate in the march.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, AJIP chairman and provincial Senior Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai said that the scheduled ‘Azadi March’ was meant for the establishment of an independent election commission and conduct of free and fair elections in the country.

He said that the establishment of an independent election commission would not benefit any single party, but all the political parties. He said that holding protest or march was the democratic right of everyone and asked the federal government to avoid creating hurdles in its way, as this would complicate the issues.

“If the federal government is not ready to accept the demands of PTI chairman Imran Khan for vote recount in four National Assembly constituencies in Punjab then how it would be able to strengthen democracy in the country. He said that all the demands raised by PTI were justified and the federal government should accept them.

Tarakai asks federal govt to avoid creating hurdles in the way of march

The health minister claimed that the demands of PTI were for the better future of Pakistan, saying that the PTI’s march was not the first event in the country because in every era such marches and rallies were held for raising voice for legal rights.

Mr Tarakai said that in the presence of independent election commission the system would be strengthened and the elected MPAs and MNAs would respect the mandate given to them by masses.

He added that PTI had raised voice for the election reforms in Pakistan, therefore AJIP would fully support its August 14 ‘Azadi March’. Mr Tarakai said that his party workers would participate in the march under his leadership. “We are not against anyone, but supporting change in the system and electoral reforms,” he said.

The AJIP chairman appreciated the efforts of Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq for resolving differences between the PTI and PML-N leadership. He said that if the JI leadership succeeded in its mission it would be good otherwise AJIP would also invite the JI leaders to join the ‘Azadi March’. He said that JI and AJIP fully supported PTI’s demands for bringing electoral reforms and establishment of an independent election commission in the country.

Praising the role of JI chief as mediator between PTI and the federal government, he hoped that the efforts would end the deadlock between the government and PTI on the issue of electoral reforms.

Answering a question, Mr Tarakai said that there was no danger to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as all the coalition partners were united to serve the people and complete the five-year term.

Asked if the PTI chief demanded resignations what would be the stance of AJIP, he said that no such plan was under consideration. Answering another question, the minister said that long marches were also held by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party and Awami National Party in the past. “We are much clear in own demands, which are establishment of true democracy, and fair and transparent electoral system in the country,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2014