Gohar condemns alleged abduction of KP lawmaker

Mardan  –  Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has condemned the alleged abduction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly member Abdul Salam Afridi, calling it a serious and alarming development.

Speaking to the media at the residence of the MPA, Barrister Gohar said elected representatives played an important role in maintaining law and order and resolving public grievances in their constituencies. He said the alleged abduction of an elected representative was therefore a matter of serious concern. He said reports of elected representatives being picked up from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had emerged following PTI’s announcement of a long march, describing such incidents as condemnable.

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Barrister Gohar said MNAs and MPAs had an important role to play in efforts to restore peace and maintain law and order in their respective areas. He questioned how elected representatives could effectively perform their responsibilities if they and their families did not feel secure.

He also questioned the ability of elected representatives to contribute to maintaining peace if deputy commissioners and district police officers failed to cooperate with them. “Unfortunately, today we are unable to provide protection even to our ministers, MNAs and MPAs,” he said.

Barrister Gohar alleged that forces operating beyond public scrutiny were influencing events and warned that what he described as a “state within a state” could further aggravate the situation. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was already facing terrorism and serious law-and-order challenges, warning that continued instability could increase anxiety, anger and political agitation among the people.

The PTI chairman said his party wanted democratic institutions to remain functional and the democratic process to continue.

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“The traffic of democracy has come to a standstill. It needs to be allowed to move again,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Salam Afridi was allegedly abducted by unidentified individuals on Thursday.

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