ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Mashal Yousafzai has linked support for the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment to relief for party founder Imran Khan, saying she and 25 other senators would vote in favour of it if he benefited from the amendment.
Speaking on ARY News programme Khabar, Yousafzai said that if the matter concerned Imran Khan’s release, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan would vote before her. She added that she would not have discussed the proposed amendment if Imran Khan had opposed the provisions being considered.
Mashal Yousafzai criticises Achakzai’s role in talks
Yousafzai also criticised Mahmood Khan Achakzai over his role in negotiations for Imran Khan, saying he had failed to fulfil the responsibilities expected of him.
She said Imran Khan had selected Achakzai to hold talks, but little progress had been made over the past year.
According to Yousafzai, Achakzai should have represented the opposition in the recent negotiations. However, she claimed he had travelled to Quetta during the talks and was not responding to calls.
She further alleged that Achakzai returned after PTI lost its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She said that whenever the issue of negotiations arose, Achakzai expressed reluctance to visit the speaker’s chamber.
Yousafzai said national interests should take precedence over personal interests. She also claimed that Achakzai had entered the assembly on PTI’s seats under Form 47.
The senator criticised the role of Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan and said PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had told its members that he would not sit with them in the future.
Mashal Yousafzai defends Barrister Saif’s role
Yousafzai said PTI’s dispute with the PML-N concerned seats, adding that Achakzai had no issue with the prime minister and should therefore have participated in the talks.
She said Barrister Saif had maintained contacts with both sides and made efforts to arrange meetings with Imran Khan. According to her, Saif had also played a role when meetings with Bushra Bibi were stopped.
Yousafzai said Salman Akram Raja and Intizar Panjutha had been unable to make progress on the issue at Adiala Jail.
She also said Asad Qaiser was upset with Barrister Saif over a personal matter and claimed that Qaiser wanted his brother to become the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to Yousafzai, Barrister Saif had helped Qaiser meet Imran Khan at Adiala Jail. She said Imran Khan rejected Qaiser’s proposal, adding that Saif could not be blamed for the decision.
The senator said PTI was a national party and had no objection to having governments in more provinces.
PTI long march strategy remains unclear, says Mashal Yousafzai
Yousafzai said efforts had been made to make Meena Khan the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Discussing the party’s long march, she said those responsible for Plans B, C and D were not responding, leaving other party members unaware of the strategy.
She named Shahid Khattak and Shafi Jan among those who were not responding to calls and said the plan remained unclear. She added that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had not shared the plan with anyone and that it had gone with him.
Yousafzai said a limited group had prepared the long march strategy to prevent it from being leaked. She complained that party decisions had previously been made elsewhere, while other people faced criticism.
She said PTI decisions would now be made through voting and that no specific group would be allowed to make decisions on its own.
Yousafzai added that the long march did not appear to be making progress and said Shahid Khattak could explain the strategy if he came forward.