Member of National Assembly from Waziristan district, Mohsin Dawar, has lamented that he and MNA Ali Wazir were named in the Exit Control List (ECL); therefore, he has decided to take up the matter to National Assembly and also approach the human rights organisations against bar on them to leave for abroad. "Names of mine and MNA Ali Wazir have been placed in the ECL without prior information to the government representative and Speaker National Assembly," he said, speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Sunday. He cited that human rights activist Gulalai Ismail was earlier named in the ECL.
Dawar said he and Ali Wazir (both lawmakers) were going to United Arab Emirates because ordinary labourers there had wished so but they were stopped at Peshawar's Bacha Khan International Airport. He said they contested elections as independent contenders and people elected them as their representatives for the lower house of Pakistan's bicameral parliament.
"Placing our names in ECL is an insult to public mandate. It is our right to submit motion in National Assembly and go to human rights organisations," he said and asked the government and state to clarify who is running the country wherein members of the parliament are named in the ECL without any charge against them. Dawar said it was highly regrettable that speaking truth and highlighting ground realities bring the charge of terrorism. He said all people have agreed with us to eliminate terrorism from this region; but, nothing is happening practically in this regard.
"We want peace and development in this region for which we need support of everyone," he said. The MNA made clear that they took no unconstitutional step nor raised any objectionable slogan at their routine public gathering after general election in district Swabi that was peaceful.
"However, some troublemakers had raised slogans against us on which we have strong reservations, he said, noting that Swabi police had registered FIR against them, instead of taking action against those troublemakers. He said it was a routine FIR and the court granted them bail. Mohsin Dawar said that despite filing of cases against more than 500 of their supporters, they were continuously raising voice for rights under constitutional limits. He said Waliyat Shah Afridi was arrested illegally and he would raise voice and peacefully protest for his release.
"Local government elections should be held prior to the provincial assembly poll in tribal districts," he urged, adding that a discussion was held with Prime Minister Imran Khan in a meeting where demanded practical measures be taken, in this regard. He said there would be no restriction on anyone to take part in next elections to the provincial assembly and local bodies in the tribal region.