PESHAWAR: Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah said here on Wednesday that army was neutral in the prevailing situation and would not intervene in politics.

Addressing a press conference at the residence of former health minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah after distributing cheques at Governor’s House among the heirs of victims of twin suicide blasts at All Saints Church, Kohati, he said that in the past people were assuming that army would intervene but in the prevailing situation it was wrong.

He said that notice should be taken of those people, who were giving the impression that army would interfere in politics.

He said that Pakistan Peoples Party would continue to support the government even if other political parties stopped cooperation with it.

Mr Shah said that his visit to Peshawar was aimed at distributing cheques among the heirs of blast victims and meeting with a delegation of the elders of internally displaced persons from North Waziristan Agency.

Says PPP will support govt even if other parties stop cooperation

The PPP leader came hard on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek leader Dr Tahirul Qadri for what he called staging useless sit-ins in Islamabad. He said that they failed to force Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign.

“We are not supporting Nawaz Sharif but the parliament so that democracy can be saved from derailing,” Mr Shah said.

He added that those, who were demanding resignation of the prime minister, should prove their majority in the assembly and bring in-house change instead of observing sit-ins on the roads.

The PPP leader said that change could not be brought through songs and qawalis on stage. He also avoided answering a question about Sheikh Rashid.

“I thought Imran Khan a good addition to the politics but he disappointed me through his derogatory words against politicians,” Mr Shah said.

Earlier, at the Governor House, the opposition leader addressed the cheques distribution ceremony and said that the entire nation supported the federal government and army in the ongoing struggle to uproot terrorism. “We all fully share the grief and sorrows of the affected families,” he added.

He lauded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and said that beyond doubt the efforts of the federal government deserved tributes.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan said that they as a nation should work with unity and hand in hand to uproot terrorism in the country.

The leader of opposition in National Assembly distributed cheques among the heirs of blast victims. Each of the 37 affected families was handed over a cheque of Rs500,000 while the injured received Rs200,000 each. Some of the members of Senate and National Assembly also attended the ceremony. Former provincial minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah and former speaker of provincial assembly Karamatullah Khan Chagharmatti were also present on the occasion.

Referring to the prevailing situation, the governor said that they were passing through a critical phase of history wherein it was needed to maintain complete solidarity and unity in their ranks and files.

“Our sustenance as a nation is subject to the security and stability of our beloved country which is equally shared by all of its citizens,” he added.

The governor paid rich tributes to the tribal people and army for their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

“The brave sons of the nation by laying their lives in the struggle for maintaining peace and stability have made all of us proud and the day is not far away when complete normalcy will be restored in the entire region,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 11th , 2014