- Fazl alleys armed groups by siphoning Govt funds.
- Siddiqui says that the Constitution belongs to the citizens of the whole federation.
- Bukhari rejects a new contract, insists the dialogue in the Constitution.
A conference on all the parties (APC) organized by the National Party of Awami (ANP) ended with discord on Sunday after the ruling parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistani peoples (PPP) party, refused to sign the joint declaration, posing net political divisions despite the calls for the problems confronted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The conference, summoned by the president of the ANP, Aimal Wali Khan and assisted by representatives of 19 parties, sought to underline the worsening of public order, the exploitation of resources and political grievances in merged districts and Baloutchistan, The news reported.
However, when the declaration was read, the PML-N parliamentary chief in the Senate, Senator Irfan Siddiqui and the PPP secretary general, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, refused to approve him, exhibiting rifts between the two government allies and the opposition parties.
Defending their position, Senator Irfan Siddiqui explained that the two parties disagreed with certain requests and could not be part of the declaration. He urged the leaders to rise above the grievances, stressing that “the ridiculous of the Punjab will not solve national problems” and will call in place a large national dialogue.
He stressed that the Constitution belongs to all citizens and judged that no one would be authorized to undermine it. “If martial law had been imposed, there would not have been this freedom to speak in an APC in Islamabad,” he added.
He praised the armed forces as guards of the federation, noting that the Pakistani army had defeated an enemy five times greater.
Siddiqui also called for the commitment of all parties to the Constitution and democracy despite their political grievances or their differences.
Sentenceing sectarian murders to Balutchistan, he noted that civilians were targeted after verifying their identity cards. “However, no one at Punjab spoke against Baloutch or blamed them. Punjabis and all Pakistanis know that these are not the acts of ordinary Baloutch,” he said.
He also recalled that the two chambers of Parliament represented the entire Federation and that no legislation could be adopted concerning a province without the approval of its representatives.
Bukhari de PPP has echoed similar concerns, defending the role of his party in the safeguard of the continuity of the Parliament and stressing that any dialogue must remain within the framework of the 1973 Constitution.
“When no party had a majority and no one was willing to form a government, the PPP has advanced in the national interest to protect democracy,” he said.
He rejected calls to a “new social contract” as a deviation from the consensual document, while rejecting any possibility of talks with those who act as attorney from India and the realization of terrorism in Pakistan. “The dialogue must take place within the framework of the 1973 Constitution. Talking about a new social contract means a deviation from this constitution,” he noted.
Armed groups siphon 10% of government funds: FAZL
Earlier, the head of Jui-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman had set the tone of the APC with impactful remarks, alleging that armed groups siphoned 10% of public funds in tribal districts, leaving companies vulnerable to extortion.
Fazl said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balutchistan’s natural resources belonged to the people, and if multinational companies were investing, the resulting jobs and profits should go to local communities. “There are laws in place under which the investment can be made, but rather than empowering the inhabitants, the institutions are more focused on control,” he noted.
He also criticized Jirgas’ Renaissance in the old Fata almost a decade after the merger, arguing that the promises made to the tribes had not been honored. He urged political forces to remain vigilant, warning that the parliamentary system of Pakistan lost credibility.
“Our parliamentary and political framework has become questionable. The theft of the public mandate has never been acceptable and will never be acceptable,” he said.
On security, FAZL has minimized the national action plan as a simple declaration without legal authority and rather called a “national economic plan” to reassure citizens that resources and profits would benefit them directly.
The Chief Jui-F pointed out that dialogue was the only way to resolve the underlying causes of the troubles.
By approaching the issue of Afghan refugees, Fazl said that forced repatriation, in current circumstances, was inappropriate. “The categories must be defined. Many Afghans have invested here for decades, while thousands have graduated from doctors and engineers from our establishments. They are our qualified human capital – we must not waste them. Students should at least be allowed to finish their education, “he added.
Meanwhile, the head of the ANP, Aimal Wali Khan, the conference host, deplored that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued to suffer while other provinces progressed, pointing out of displaced families in Waziristan and neglected resources in the province.
The leader Qaumi Watan, AFTAB, AHMAD KHAN Sherpao, warned against the bypass of the Parliament by direct talks with the establishment, while Mohin Dawar called controversial controversial to a new constitution based on equality.
In response, Bukhari reminded participants that the 1973 Constitution took 25 years to finalize and still enjoyed consensus, stressing that the necessary changes must be continued in its context.
Declaration and APC requests
Despite the withdrawal of PML-N and PPP, the declaration adopted by the remaining parties required the complete implementation of the 18th constitutional amendment in its true spirit and called in the end of current operations at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. The APC has expressed profound concern about current disorders, terrorism and denial of constitutional rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balutchistan, holding internal and previous external policies imperfect responsible for the current crisis.
The APC declaration of the ANP said that participants condemned terrorism, extremism and violence in all forms, demanding an immediate judgment of the ongoing military operations in the provinces.
They also called for the creation of a truth committee under judicial surveillance to investigate human and financial losses caused by these operations.
The declaration underlined the complete implementation of the 18th constitutional amendment, the application of the award of the National Finance Commission (NFC), the restoration of the rights of the provinces on mineral resources, the cancellation of the powers of illegal land and the protection of the historical rights of the Tribal People.
Other requests included the restructuring of the Balutchistan surveys force on modern lines, the transfer of full authority to the civil administration in the merged districts, ending forced disappearances and the release of political prisoners.
The APC also called for the lifting of the borders on the independent media and journalism, repealing discriminatory laws such as the 3 MPO and the fourth appendix, rehabilitating the areas affected by terrorism, ensuring the return of internal displaced people and creating job opportunities.
He also condemned the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees and urged the rebirth of the Balutchistan agricultural university alone for academic activities.
Expressing the sadness of the devastation caused by recent floods and natural disasters at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the conference announced the cancellation of the “Islamabad peace march” earlier scheduled for August 23 under Jirga national peace, with a new date to decide later through mutual consultation.
By reaffirming their commitment, the participants said that the security, stability and development of Pakistan were only possible by the supremacy of the Constitution, the equal rights of the provinces and a transparent democratic process. All political forces have promised to pursue their joint struggle towards these objectives.
