PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf should wait till next general elections instead of making unconstitutional demand of the resignation of prime minister.

He said that demand regarding resignation of Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif was unconstitutional. Those, who made such demands, should adopt proper constitutional procedure for unseating the prime minister, he added.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the provincial council of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) here on Wednesday, Mr Sherpao said that it was duty of all political parties to follow the constitution.

“We supported prime minister to block the way of any unconstitutional move and strengthen democracy,” he said. Mr Sherpao said the PTI leadership should wait for the next general elections instead of making unconstitutional demands. The governments couldn’t be changed by staging protest demonstrations and sit-ins, he added.

The QWP provincial council in its meeting also elected provincial office-bearers of the party. QWP parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao was elected provincial chairman of the party in the meeting.

Says governments can’t be changed by staging demonstrations and sit-ins

Similarly, MPA Bakht Baidar Khan was elected provincial senior vice chairman and Hashim Khan Babar provincial general secretary of the party. About 340 members of the provincial council attended the meeting.

QWP election commissioner retired Justice Shahjehan Khan, MPA Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, former senator Shujaul Mulk Khan, Jamil Marghuz, former senator Haji Ghufran Khan and Abdul Malik Khan Tordher were also present on the occasion.

“Our party is committed to removing the sense of deprivation among the Pakhtuns and working for the development of the hitherto neglected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” Mr Sherpao claimed.

Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leadership, he said that its provincial government had abandoned the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan Agency, who rendered sacrifices for the restoration of peace in the country.

About the performance of the provincial government, the QWP chief said that kidnapping for ransom, extortion and targeted killing had become order of the day but the rulers were least bothered to take practical steps for protection of people. He said that investors were reluctant to invest in any sector in the province owing to the fragile security situation in the province.

Mr Sherpao said that popularity of the PTI leadership had declined owing to the politics of sit-ins. “Those dancing on the stage cannot become the leaders of the Pakhtuns,” he said.

The QWP chief said that workers of his party would take to streets if the PTI rulers didn’t mend their ways. “We will show our strength if the provincial government doesn’t take steps to ensure good governance and fulfil the election pledges,” he said.

Mr Sherpao said that the PTI leadership had double standards as it asked party MNAs to resign from the National Assembly but avoided quitting the provincial government. He said that PTI government couldn’t hold the local government elections in more than one year despite making tall claims.

Mr Sherpao said that the PTI leaders wanted to win political support in Punjab by compromising on the rights of Pakhtuns. He said the rising polio cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa showed that provincial government didn’t have the will and expertise to fight the crippling disease.

The newly elected provincial chairman of QWP also addressed on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2014