Islamabad:
The Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) admitted on Sunday that granting a service extension to the former army chief (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa was a mistake, apologizing to the nation by the decision and promising never to be part of such practices again.
The admission and apology came from the senior leader of PTI and former president of the National Asad Qaiser Assembly during a joint press conference of Tehreek Tahafuz Aain Pakistan (TTAP) leaders in Islamabad.
“The decision about Bajwa’s extension was incorrect; I think it was our historically incorrect decision,” said Qaiser, answering a question about the extension of the old Coas. “We apologize to the entire nation [on this decision]”He added.” We will not be part of any decision in the future. “
The chief and veteran politician of TTAP, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, added that neither any military official should be given service extensions, arguing that the appointments should only be made by merit, the only principle, he said, essential for Pakistan’s progress.
At the end of 2019, Pakistan faced an unprecedented legal confrontation about then: the decision of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to grant an extension of three years to the Bajwa gene, whose term had to end on November 28. Only two days before its retirement date, the Supreme Court suspended the extension when listening to a petition challenging you, the first case in the country of the country.
The Government had justified the extension citing regional security concerns, including the revocation of India of the autonomy of Kashmira and the role of Pakistan in the American-Fgano peace process. Critics, however, considered it a political calculation to ensure Khan’s own possession, given the perceived role of the army to facilitate its rise to power.
During his comments, Qaiser not only criticized the titular government model, but also described it “illegal, unconstitutional and antidemocratic”, stating that the country was under a “practical martial law” where decisions were made under institutional pressure instead of merit.
PTI’s unconditional said his party believed that cases of political prisoners, including the founder of the Imran Khan party, should be heard by merit and without external influence, and added that the coverage of live trials live expose the reality of procedures.
In the so -called 27th Constitutional amendment, Qaiser said that PTI would use all available forums (Parliament, Courts and public mobilization) to resist it, adding that a lawyer movement would also begin.
He said that the party would address the legal fraternity to challenge any movement of this type, start consultations with the Islamabad Bar Association this month, interact with foreign diplomats and celebrate seminars to highlight their concerns.
Achakzai, speaking at the same press conference, emphasized that the TTAP movement would avoid personal attacks and focus on constitutional protection, and added that political differences should not undermine democratic principles.
He recalled having visited the Supreme PML-N Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz during his imprisonment in the past, noting that “the party leaders would visit them in herds and nobody would oppose.”
Criticizing the political and governance decline of Pakistan, Achakzai warned that when public anger increases, the most entrenched rulers can even be eliminated.
He requested a political agreement to guarantee the supremacy of the Constitution, judicial independence, the establishment of a credible electoral commission, the freedom of the media and the end of journalists’ harassment, saying that all parties should sign said document.
The former PML-N leader and Governor of Sindh, Muhammad Zubair, also addressed the meeting, highlighting the country’s deepest economic crisis. He cited record inflation, with weekly price increases with 50 percent touches and general inflation that reaches 38 percent, saying that such levels had never been seen in Pakistan.
Zubair said that more than 110 million people had fallen below the poverty line, with 22 percent general unemployment and 30 percent youth unemployment. He pointed out a strong increase in public debt, noting that, although PTI’s mandate saw an increase of RS19 billion, the last three and a half years had added rs38 more billion.
Foreign investment, he said, was now at a minimum of 50 years despite the promises of large tickets. It observed a decrease in GDP growth to an average of 1.62 percent against a population growth rate of 2.6 percent, along with a 60 percent drop in purchasing power for three years.
Calling the state of “shameful” education, cited 27 million children outside the school and malnutrition that affects 40 percent of children. Public sector companies added, incurred losses of RS1 billion, further struggling national finances.
