PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said here on Monday that former prime minister Imran Khan was provoking youth into acts of violence.

He was speaking at a meeting of his party central and provincial office-bearers. The meeting discussed the prevailing political situation in the country.

Ahmad Nawaz Khan Jadoon, Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Khan, Samiullah, Jalil Bazai, Sikandar Hayat Sherpao, Dr Faiza Rasheed, Dr Farooq Afzal, Fayyaz Ali Shah, Advocate Hashim Raza, former senator Mohammad Ghufran, Tariq Ahmad Khan, Advocate Asad Afridi and Jamil Marghuz attended the meeting.

Mr Sherpao said though Imran Khan tried to trigger a constitutional crisis, it happened for the first time in the country that a prime minister was removed through a no-confidence motion. He said that Imran Khan was inciting youth to violence. He added that the trend was very dangerous as it was threatening the stability of the country.

QWP chief says it will take time to hold general polls in country

The QWP leader said the new government was yet to consolidate its position so holding the next elections would take time. He said that level playing field should be provided to all the political parties so that they could actively participate in the next polls.

He also underlined the need for introducing electoral reforms, saying input from all the political parties should be sought. He said that people rejected the stance of Imran Khan that the PTI government was dislodged under a foreign conspiracy.

Mr Sherpao said that Imran Khan’s narrative was based on assumptions. He added that Imran Khan was playing with the sentiments of people by promoting the anti-US narrative.

“Imran Khan’s government failed to deliver so he is now trying to divert the attention of the people,” he said, adding that Imran Khan was using the so-called anti-US narrative to deceive the people so that they could not question his government’s performance.

The QWP leader said that the PTI leader was trying to push the country towards anarchy. He said he was using a ‘fake letter’ to build his so-called narrative. He said that the former prime minister was bent on undermining state institutions.

He said the Election Commission of Pakistan should also play its due role to ensure holding of free, fair and transparent polls. He said that his party was not in favour of using the electronic voting machines.

The QWP chief said that President Arif Alvi’s directives to Punjab Governor Umar Sarfaraz Cheema to continue working in his position showed that he was acting as a worker of PTI. “President Arif Alvi holds a constitutional office, therefore, he should not act as a worker of PTI,” he added.

Mr Sherpao also expressed concerns over the prevailing situation in Afghanistan and said that Pakistan should come up with a clear policy about the neighbouring country. He said that Afghanistan’s sovereignty should be respected.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2022