PESHAWAR: Treasury members in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday emphasised the importance of a strong army for the country but complained that certain elements in the institution wanted to manipulate politics and democracy to serve their ends.

During a session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati here, the lawmakers voiced concern about the deteriorating law and order situation in the province saying people feared stepping out of their houses.

They criticised security agencies for targeting PTI and its jailed founder, Imran Khan, instead of fulfilling their basic responsibility of protecting public life.

The treasury members debated and criticised the army’s involvement in politics for the fourth consecutive day.

Claim ‘elements’ in the institution want to manipulate politics.

They claimed that the establishment denied political maneuvering but it pressured the PTI candidates before the Feb 8 general elections to join the PTI-Parliamentarians formed by former chief minister Pervez Khattak with its support.

The MPAs said their criticism was aimed at violators of the Constitution, so it shouldn’t be considered a rebellion against the entire army or Inter-Services Intelligence.

They said the PTI would hold a public meeting in Lahore on Sept 22 at all costs.

Special assistant to the chief minister Sohail Afridi asked “those lecturing us about the Constitution should explain what Constitution they’re referring to.”

He said the Constitution clearly mandated elections within 90 days of the assembly’s dissolution.

Mr Afridi feared a government crackdown on the PTI’s Sept 22 public meeting in Lahore and said if the need arose, the participants would use the law’s “self-defence” provisions for their protection.

Another PTI member, Ikram Ghazi, asked the establishment to disclose its “agenda” and accused it of hiding Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad.

He said the PTI was ready for both rebellion and revolution.

Mr Ghazi demanded accountability of all top military officers from the past and said even the “graves should be court-martialed.”

Arif Ahmadzai from the treasury benches claimed that he was asked to quit the PTI to join Pervez Khattak’s party, but he refused.

He said his party was opposed to the army’s political maneuverings and would continue to oppose them.

Mr Ahmadzai insisted that the life of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan was under serious threat.

Treasury member Mohammad Adnan Qadri requested the director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations to retract his recent statement that the army had nothing to do with politics.

He claimed that a year ago, the establishment pressured PTI leaders to join the party of Pervez Khattak despite claiming political neutrality.

PTI lawmaker Israr Khan alleged that people were picked up from the merged tribal districts on the charge of providing meals to militants.

“As the sun rises, they come and take the people away. If authorities know about this activity of the people, why they’re not familiar with the whereabouts of militants,” he said.

The MPA said PTI founder Imran Khan had become a brand beyond the control of the powers-that-be.

Member of the opposition JUI-F Adnan Khan said his party openly criticised the establishment’s involvement in politics.

He suggested legislation to stop the armed forces from acting in aid of civil power. Mr Khan said his party leader had categorically denied becoming part of unconstitutional actions.

MPA Mohammad Rashad Khan of the PML-N said if the provincial government declared the arrest of PTI lawmakers from inside the National Assembly unjust, the opposition supported it.

He suggested a grand debate and a multi-party conference with representatives of political parties and all institutions, including judiciary, attending it.

Awami National Party member Mohammad Nisar Baaz complained that all border crossings with neighboring countries except for Afghanistan were open for trade.

He said a fenced border and 2,600 checkpoints were enough to enable the army to monitor the country’s trade with Afghanistan.

The speaker later adjourned the session until 2pm on Sept 19.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024