Province Report
PESHAWAR:
Provincial Minister Shafi Jan has said that stopping Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi along with provincial cabinet members and elected public representatives in Islamabad is not only highly condemnable but also a blatant violation of Constitution, law, public mandate and democratic values.
He questioned what message federal government intended to send to people of province by obstructing movement of an elected Chief Minister in such a manner.
Shafi Jan stated that restricting movement of an elected Chief Minister and political leaders amounts to curbing democratic freedoms. He said that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was peacefully heading towards Adiala Jail to express solidarity with founding chairman Imran Khan and his family as it was designated day for family members and lawyers to meet Imran Khan in accordance with court orders.
He further stated that Punjab government administration not only stopped Chief Minister Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa convoy but also denied Imran Khan’s family members and lawyers permission to meet him. He further said that federal and Punjab governments had completely deprived founding chairman Imran Khan of his constitutional, legal and human rights.
Criticizing both governments, Shafi Jan said that they had adopted an authoritarian style of governance and out of fear of Imran Khan , were severely undermining democratic traditions.
He added that rulers “imposed through Form 47” neither respected public mandate nor cared about Constitution, rule of law or court orders.
Provincial minister said it was unfortunate that so-called democratic party, who’s head “fled the country on a stamp paper, was now occupying power through illegitimate means.
He added that restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan had made it clear to nation that real fear was of people’s elected leader Imran Khan and that every possible effort was being made to silence his voice.
Shafi Jan stated that Imran Khan had been kept in illegal solitary confinement for more than 200 days, deprived of basic medical facilities and despite repeated demands by his family and party leadership, had not been shifted to a hospital for treatment.
He demanded immediate access for Imran Khan’s family members and personal physicians, his immediate transfer to a hospital for medical treatment and provision of complete medical facilities under the supervision of his personal doctors.
He further said that fake rule could not survive for long against power of people and that nation would soon rid itself of what he termed “illegitimate rulers.”
