PESHAWAR: Prime minister’s adviser and PML-N central senior vice-president Amir Muqam has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Azadi March has failed to achieve its goal as its demands are illogical and unacceptable.

Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, he said that PTI chairman Imran Khan wanted to use a shortcut for becoming prime minister, but it was impossible unless he got the required votes in next general elections.

“The ability of PTI can be judged from the fact that its Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was dancing in Azadi March in Islamabad at a time when several people died in rainstorm while many others who sustained injuries were crying for help in Peshawar,” he said.

Mr Muqam said that it was very easy for any political party to take out a procession and raise demand for resignation of any elected representative. He said that PML-N could also raise such a demand for the CM’s resignation, but it did not believe in undemocratic steps.

He said that unfortunately the rulers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were least bothered about fulfilling their duties and thus the problems of people were increasing day by day.

He said that there was contradiction in the words and deeds of Mr Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahirul Qadri. He asked the protesters to avoid creating problems for the country which had already suffered heavily due to lawlessness and wrong policies of the previous PPP-led government.

Mr Muqam said that the ongoing marches had caused a serious setback to the national economy while the business community had been suffering major losses. He said that if the protests were prolonged the nation would face serious financial problems.

He said that both Mr Khan and Mr Qadri would be responsible for any economic crisis in the country as they had blocked the roads and paralysed life in the twin cities. He said that in case of any threat to democracy the entire responsibility would rest with the PTI and PAT.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2014