Asfandyar opposes move to ban PTI

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) Rehbar Tehreek Asfandyar Wali Khan has opposed the government’s move to ban Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and said that such emotional decisions are not only harmful to democracy but also political process in a country like Pakistan.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he said the political parties must stop the practice of targeting each other at the behest of certain elements and must develop a culture of tolerating one another’s existence for the sake of democracy and supremacy of the Parliament.

In the past, we have seen negative repercussions of banning political parties as the National Awami Party leadership was put behind bars, Asfandyar said and added that those elements must be made accountable who had acted against elected governments and political process in the country.

The ANP Rehbar said that the politicians must learn from past mistakes and blunders, adding the ruling political parties must set an example of tolerance, harmony, criticism and rule and law and justice.

All the state institutions must remain within their constitutional domain, he said and added that the political parties and politicians should not become part of the game being played by non-political elements in the country.

Meanwhile, the provincial president and general secretary of the Awami National Party, Main Iftikhar Hussain and Hussain Shah Yousufzai, condemned terrorist attacks in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan which claimed precious human lives, including lady health workers, children and security forces personnel.