ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai Saturday said in categorical terms that a meeting with the founder of PTI Imran Khan was the key to ending or suspending the march.
“If you want this march to end or be suspended, then let (CM Sohail) Afridi meet his leader. Let us meet him; let our colleagues meet him. But if you have decided to crush it through the use of force—well, we tried our best, but what did you do?” he said.
The opposition leader insisted that this was a decision of such magnitude that he cannot take it alone — neither Sohail Afridi, nor Barrister Gohar nor Salman Akram Raja. “We simply cannot do that. I had even told them, by all means, we are willing to cooperate with you,” he contended.
He emphasised that personally, he considers it a criminal act to coerce a prisoner into signing an agreement or leaving the country for London or elsewhere. He said he views this as entirely wrong. “If you have held talks with him and genuinely wish to resolve the issues, then tell us honestly: what is the actual sticking point? You cannot resolve this impasse on your own,” he added.
During an interview with a social media outlet, Achakzai, who also heads Tehreek Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan as its chairman, remarked, “The point is, we shouldn’t play games with words. Pakistan has reached this critical juncture due to our own corruption, bribery, and high-handedness.”
The shipping containers are already in place and the march is scheduled to begin on the 4th, he said and added that if the rulers want the march cancelled or postponed, then allow them to meet their leader.
To a question, Achakzai said that his advice in the given situation to PTI is to set aside all other demands and do not talk about healthcare, hospitals or any other issues. “You have already imprisoned his (Imran’s) three sisters, and there are reports that they are now on a hunger strike. Under these circumstances, my plea is to drop all other demands and put forward just one: we must be allowed to meet our leader,” he stressed.
