SWABI, Jan 28: The president of Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, said on Tuesday that there was need to rewrite Pakistan’s Constitution to prevent the army from meddling in politics and restore real democracy in the country.

Achakzai rejected the Legal Framework Order (LFO), saying that the amendments made to the Constitution by the military regime were designed to strengthen the army’s grip on politics.

He was addressing various public meetings on the last leg of his five-day visit to the district.

Achakzai said there was no place in the statute book for LFO, adding that they would not accept it as part of the Constitution.

He said that the authority of making amendments in the Constitution rested with parliament, adding that the army should focus on its professional duty to defend the geographical frontiers of the country instead of indulging in politics.

He brushed aside the plea to restore democracy and even refused to accept the theory of “controlled democracy”. He said: “We are passing through a persistent military rule and all the affairs of the state are being dominated by the president.”

The politicians, he stressed, should get united to lessen army’s involvement in politics affairs and make the parliament a supreme body.

He castigated all those politicians who extended their support to the president and his policies. “Looking to the prevailing scenario we are drifting into further crisis,” he added.

He opposed the domination by Punjab and said that the “big brother” had devoured the resources of the Pakhtoon terrains, either belong to Pakhtoonkhwa, Balochistan or Fata, lagging behind in all fields.

About the Kalabagh Dam, he said this project was only for the benefit of Punjab and victimisation of the Pakhtoon community and “we have no option but to oppose its construction”. He said: “With the construction of Kalabagh Dam, the establishment wanted to divide the Pakhtoon community and destroy their fertile land”.