ISLAMABAD: Terming the “Karachi incident” an “attack” by the Federation over a province, and a “serious” violation of the Constitution, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “silence” on the entire episode.

The PDM leaders including former prime ministers, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervez Ashraf, former chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Akram Khan Durrani, Ahsan Iqbal and others, strongly condemned the circumstances under which Capt Mohammad Safdar (retired) was arrested from a Karachi hotel on Monday last.

They were speaking at a news conference after the PDM meeting.

“This is an attack by the Federation over a federating unit and a serious violation of the Constitution,” Abbasi said.

“This is such a serious constitutional violation which may lead to ousting the federal government, if Supreme Court of Pakistan takes any notice,” Ahsan said, while endorsing the former premier’s stance.

Abbasi strongly criticised Prime Minister Khan over his “silence” on Karachi incident, saying the primary responsibility was of the prime minister and the federal government to take notice of the incident.

“Unfortunately, they are dragging the army in this incident too and instead of Prime Minister, the investigation was ordered by the Army Chief,” he added.

“This is very unfortunate that Prime Minister by misusing his authority is seeking confrontation between the federation and the [Sindh] province…Do you not care about the federation? What would happen to the federation, if police chief of a province is picked in such a way?” Abbasi posed a series of questions to Prime Minister Khan.

After this incident, he said that every citizen in Sindh was feeling insecure, adding the Prime Minister should have made a phone call to Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and the police chief.

“Instead, the Prime Minister is more concerned about what food should be served to Shehbaz Sharif in jail and continues his policy of ‘revenge’. He [PM] is completely unaware of the pain and misery of the common man and worst economic situation in the country,” he maintained.

Raja Pervez Ashraf accused the federal government of creating “chaos” in the country.

“Under a planned conspiracy, the federal government seeks to create chaos in the country and that through a “systematic planning” it wants to destabilise the country,” he alleged.

He alleged that the prime minister got “frustrated” with the two “mammoth” rallies of the PDM in Gujranwala and Karachi.

He said the Sindh police were demoralised and after the Army Chief took notice of the incident they postponed the planned protest of going on leave for 10 days, until the investigation into the Karachi incident was completed.

Referring to the various statements by federal ministers, the PM’s advisers and the government spokesmen, he alleged that the government spokespersons were “dragging national institutions into politics”.

“The Prime Minister should have come forward and explained the facts before the nation. He should have spoken to Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah. But he [PM] has gone into hiding,” he said.

“The PDM has no objective to sow seeds of discord, and instead wishes to promote unity to strengthen the nation…The prime minister must think carefully before saying anything. I, too, have served as prime minister,” Ashraf added.

He said the opposition had a great regard for the army, adding the police had also rendered huge sacrifices for this country.

Referring to the protest outside the Parliament House by various sections of the society, especially the lady health workers, he said the people were fed up and had come out.

“Now ‘the writing on the wall’ is that the people have rejected your government,” he maintained.

About the PDM’s upcoming rallies, he said the rallies would be held as per schedule, adding the public rally in Quetta would be held on October 25.

He said Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was in Gilgit-Baltistan, and he might address the rally through a video link, if he did not travel to the provincial capital of Balochistan.

Akram Khan Durrani said the country was going through a “grave crisis”, adding that such incidents had never happened in the country in the past.

“From day one, we are saying that this is “fake” government, which came into power through a “fake” mandate,” he maintained.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020