NA resolves to strengthen democracy

• Achakzai urges PTI, PAT not to set trend of protest rallies, resolve situation through dialogue
• SAFRON minister says govt, Army will not allow sit-in while MNA Murad Saeed says protesting, demanding mid-term polls is PTI’s constitutional right

National Assembly (NA) unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday calling for safeguarding and strengthening democracy.

The resolution, moved by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, stated that the country’s defence and development are linked with democracy and should be safeguarded, Radio Pakistan reported.

Earlier, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai initiated a debate on the prevailing political situation in the country in light of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI)’s ‘Azadi March’ and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) ‘Inqilabi March’ and stated that his party would continue to support democracy.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has learnt from experience that there will be no compromise on Constitution, Parliament, rule of law and democracy,” said Achakzai.

DON’T SET TREND OF PROTEST RALLIES:

“We will stand against those who try to subvert the Constitution,” he said, adding that PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PAT Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri “may come to Islamabad and talk about their demands but they should not set a tradition of harming the democratic system through protests and rallies”.

In support of democracy, Achakzai announced that his party and other pro-democracy parties would hold a demonstration in Balochistan on Independence Day.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad urged Khan to resolve issues in Parliament rather than protesting, adding that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has also offered to hold talks with Khan.

In PTI’s defence, NA member (MNA) Murad Saeed said that protesting and demanding mid-term elections is a constitutional right.

States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch, while slamming the PTI chief, said that neither the government nor the armed forces would allow a long march or sit-in.

“The executive has no power to take action on Khan’s complaints regarding verification of votes in four constituencies. The PTI should have brought a bill in the House to give such powers to the executive,” said Baloch.

The SAFRON minister said the government believes in peace and does not want to use force or arms against protesters while urging Qadri’s supporters not to put lives of their children in danger for the sake of the objectives of “adventurers”.

Alleging that PTI does not support Operation Zarb-e-Azb Baloch said, “PTI is staging a long march at this critical time to divert the military’s attention from the operation in North Waziristan,” adding that the Imran Khan Foundation did nothing for the assistance of internally displaced persons.