0
PESHAWAR, March 31: Amid growing tension over Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal?s strike call for Saturday, Governor, Khalilur Rehman, has reprimanded the provincial government and accused it of going back on its words and violating the constitution, official sources confirmed to Dawn. Governor Khalil, officials in the NWFP government said had written two strongly-worded letters to Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani in the last few days accusing his government of going back on pledges and violating the constitution.
Talking to journalists, the governor said he would strive to work out an understanding with the ruling MMA on the principle of give and take. In his letters to the chief minister, the governor reminded him of the promise by the provincial government that it would not allow MMA?s million march to disrupt traffic on the Grand Trunk Road.
But, Governor Khalil regretted the provincial government went back on its promise and overruled a decision by the City District Government, Peshawar, to ask the MMA to hold the March 28 rally at Jinnah Park, Peshawar.
The sources said the governor wrote the letters after conveying his views to the chief minister verbally through a telephonic talk. Apparently, said these sources, what prompted the governor to put his displeasure in writing was the chief minister?s insistence that whatever was being said should be sent to him in writing.
But the governor believes that the ruling MMA, by supporting the strike, was violating Article 149 of the constitution. ?By calling for pahya-jams (wheel jam) you are paralysing life,? the governor is said to have conveyed to the chief minister.
Article 149 (1) of the constitution says: The executive authority of every province shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive authority of the Federation, and the executive authority of the Federation shall extend to the giving of such directions to a province as may appear to the Federal Government to be necessary for the purpose.
Article 149 (4) is more relevant to the situation. It says: The executive authority of the Federation shall also extend to the giving of directions to a province as to the manner in which the executive authority thereof is to be exercised for the purpose of preventing any grave menace to the peace or tranquillity or economic life of Pakistan or any part thereof.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS: Meanwhile, contradictory statements have been issued here about the provincial government?s position on the April 2 strike call given by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.
According to an official handout, provincial Information Minister Asif Iqbal Daudzai met Governor Khalilur Rehman on Thursday and assured him that the provincial government had nothing to do with the strike.
However, Senior Minister Sirajul Haq, who is also provincial chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, told Dawn that the MMA leaders had contacted traders? representatives and asked them to take part in the shutdown.
The handout released from the Governor?s House quoted Mr Daudzai as saying that his party, the JUI-F, and the provincial government had nothing to do with the strike. Mr Daudzai had called on the governor along with adviser to the chief minister Shamsur Rehman Shamsi.
Meanwhile, the governor met a delegation of the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association led by its provincial president Mohammad Ayub. An official statement said the leaders of the association assured the governor that they had nothing to do with the strike.
Talking to journalists, the governor said he would strive to work out an understanding with the ruling MMA on the principle of give and take. In his letters to the chief minister, the governor reminded him of the promise by the provincial government that it would not allow MMA?s million march to disrupt traffic on the Grand Trunk Road.
But, Governor Khalil regretted the provincial government went back on its promise and overruled a decision by the City District Government, Peshawar, to ask the MMA to hold the March 28 rally at Jinnah Park, Peshawar.
The sources said the governor wrote the letters after conveying his views to the chief minister verbally through a telephonic talk. Apparently, said these sources, what prompted the governor to put his displeasure in writing was the chief minister?s insistence that whatever was being said should be sent to him in writing.
But the governor believes that the ruling MMA, by supporting the strike, was violating Article 149 of the constitution. ?By calling for pahya-jams (wheel jam) you are paralysing life,? the governor is said to have conveyed to the chief minister.
Article 149 (1) of the constitution says: The executive authority of every province shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive authority of the Federation, and the executive authority of the Federation shall extend to the giving of such directions to a province as may appear to the Federal Government to be necessary for the purpose.
Article 149 (4) is more relevant to the situation. It says: The executive authority of the Federation shall also extend to the giving of directions to a province as to the manner in which the executive authority thereof is to be exercised for the purpose of preventing any grave menace to the peace or tranquillity or economic life of Pakistan or any part thereof.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS: Meanwhile, contradictory statements have been issued here about the provincial government?s position on the April 2 strike call given by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.
According to an official handout, provincial Information Minister Asif Iqbal Daudzai met Governor Khalilur Rehman on Thursday and assured him that the provincial government had nothing to do with the strike.
However, Senior Minister Sirajul Haq, who is also provincial chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, told Dawn that the MMA leaders had contacted traders? representatives and asked them to take part in the shutdown.
The handout released from the Governor?s House quoted Mr Daudzai as saying that his party, the JUI-F, and the provincial government had nothing to do with the strike. Mr Daudzai had called on the governor along with adviser to the chief minister Shamsur Rehman Shamsi.
Meanwhile, the governor met a delegation of the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association led by its provincial president Mohammad Ayub. An official statement said the leaders of the association assured the governor that they had nothing to do with the strike.
