ANP accuses Alvi of playing double game

MINGORA: Commenting on the controversy surrounding the signing of the two pieces of legislation sent to the president of Pakistan recently, Awami National Party (ANP) senior vice president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Tuesday said that President Arif Alvi did not want to offend either the state institutions or the PTI chairman Imran Khan.

Addressing a convention of party workers at the Wadudia Hall in Saidu Sharif, he said that the Official Secrets Act and Pakistan Army Act were passed by the Senate and the National Assembly and were sent to the president for his signature.

He explained the president was supposed to write his objections if he had any, adding that he realized his mistake after the bills became laws, which seemed he wanted neither to offend the state nor PTI chairman.

“The president intentionally created this controversy,” he alleged.

He said that the elections should have been held within 90 days as per the constitution. However, he added that the next general election would take place in February next year.

The ANP leader underscored the importance of peace for holding the election, saying that the issue of law and order should be tackled first to create an enabling environment for the polls.

Criticizing the former prime minister Imran Khan, Haider Hoti said that the PTI leader created this “cipher drama” for the sake of power. He said that the PTI chairman instigated the youth to attack the army installations.

“Politics is not everybody’s cup of tea,” he said, adding that it was the people who had the power to remove a government through their mandate.

Holding the PTI responsible for the deteriorating law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said the previous PTI government held talks with the militants and allowed them to settle down in KP.

He said the ANP was the only party, which was striving to safeguard the rights of the Pakhtuns. He said that why efforts were being made to snatch rights from KP. He maintained that the Pakhtuns should be given control over their resources.

He said that the 2018 election was massively rigged and the ANP was deprived of its mandate. He said the PTI was brought into power as a result of rigging, which underlined the province.