PESHAWAR, Apr 05 (APP): Political experts here Wednesday underlined the need of institutions’ restraint and initiation of grand political dialogue for ensuring free and transparent election imperative for sustainable democracy and revival of economy in the country.
Talking to APP, Professor DR A.H Hilali, former Chairman, Political Science Department, University of Peshawar told APP that all state institutions including legislature, executive and judiciary derive strength from the constitution and the country’s can move forward when it work under its constitutional domain.
Underlying the need for institutions’ restraints after SC verdict in KP and Punjab election case, he said people as well democracy suffer in case of misunderstanding among state institutions.
He said democratic governments that came into existence through transparent and free elections enjoyed people’s overwhelming support enabling them to take quick decisions for their wellbeing and socioeconomic development of the country.
He said democracy was the process of political evolution and it strengthened its roots after free and transparent elections. Dr Hilali said political unity and dialogue was imperative among political parties ahead of general elections so that no one can raise a finger on polls’ results.
Dr Hilali said a politically stable government guarantees sustainable economic development, national security and social harmony, transparency and capitalisation of resources, freedom of expression and pragmatic foreign policy.
To achieve these key goals, he said the 1973 constitution empowered all political parties to serve their countrymen for five years after winning the election and implement its manifestoes, adding that in democracies, people have the power to decide about the future of political parties through power of votes.
He said that wrangling between political parties and mistrust among institutions had led to derailment of the democracy four times in the past and that no elected prime minister had completed the five-year constitutional term.
He said that elections were fast approaching and urged all political parties including PDM and PTI to sit together and immediately start a grand political dialogue to take the ship of democracy to safe shores.
Ejaz Khan, former chairman IR Department, University of Peshawar said free and transparent elections were prerequisite for a stable government.
He said the countries with tolerant political culture have attained all feats including economic prosperity, civilian supremacy and rule of law, institutional efficiency and balance of power besides wide diplomatic say.
He said in spite of completion of 75 years of independence, Pakistan was still looking toward the IMF and other financial institutions to support the national economy due to wrangling between political parties. Dr Ejaz said that institutions’ restraint was imperative for stability and economic growth of the country.
Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN KP spokesman said his party strongly believed in the political dialogue and time and again offered PTI Chairman Imran Khan to come forward and sit with the government for a grand political dialogue to bring down the political temperature besides holding of simultaneous elections.
He said the stubbornness of the PTI leadership and bad relations with the opposition in Imran’s four year rule had created political and economic chaos in the country.
Commenting on the SC’s KP and Punjab assemblies elections verdict, Wali claimed that if elections in two provinces, which were currently under the caretaker setups, were held before six months of the
Sindh, Balochistan and national assemblies, it would have created a controversy forever. “I questioned if PMLN won the KP and Punjab Assemblies election would PTI accept it.” He reiterated that the coalition government had prayed that the important case of KP and Punjab election may be heard by the full court after recent controversies and if it was accepted the entire nation would have been satisfied today.
He said the constitution cannot act on the whims of one person, who could violate it anytime, dissolve the two provincial assemblies prematurely whenever he wants, saying such a negative attitude was against the spirit of the constitution.
He said the PTI chief instead of talking about his government performance in public rallies and TV shows has again started leveling baseless allegations against political opponents as he had nothing to show.
He said the billion trees project has been taken by the NAB and the BRT project was completed at very high cost thus huge taxpayers money was wasted by the PTI. He said Imran had left millions of flood victims alone in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Punjab provinces despite his government at that time and would face peoples’ wrath in the upcoming general elections.
Imran started Jail Bharo movement to please dissident workers after his childish decision of dissolving the KP and Punjab assemblies. Ikhtair said the PTI had deceived people on the hollow slogan of “accountability and change” as the former PTI government in KP itself closed its own Ehtesab Commission at Peshawar.
He said PTI has shattered the confidence of the voters of KP and Punjab after prematurely dissolving the two provincial assemblies and lost footings in both provinces where they would now face people’s anger in upcoming elections.
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