Reconciliation can't be achieved without release of Imran Khan: Waqas Akram
Pakistan
Present government, formed through “Form 47 manipulation,” lacks public trust: Waqas Akram
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said that national reconciliation cannot be achieved without the release of the party founder Imran Khan.
Speaking at a press conference, Akram maintained that while the PTI prioritises peace, this should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness.
“Detaining the party’s founder under the current political circumstances is tantamount to hostility towards the state,” he said, adding that while calls for unity are being made, PTI workers continue to face arrests.
He urged the immediate release of the party’s founder, stating that only authentic leadership has the capacity to unify the country. Criticising Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, he remarked, “Had there been true representatives in power, the blunder committed by Khawaja Asif would never have occurred.”
Referring to past tensions with India, Akram said, “India should remember the lesson of Abhinandan.” He claimed that the present government, formed through what he termed as “Form 47 manipulation,” lacks public trust. He also questioned the rationale behind appointing Khawaja Asif as defence minister, citing his controversial statements.
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Akram condemned Khawaja Asif’s recent remarks, alleging that they have damaged Pakistan’s global image. “Khawaja Asif practically handed over a charge sheet to India against Pakistan,” he said, recalling former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s comments on the Mumbai attacks, which he termed “anti-state.”
He further criticised the government’s response to the recent Indian accusations, contrasting India’s prompt calling of an all-parties conference (APC) with what he termed Pakistan’s lack of urgency. “No APC was convened here, and when a briefing was finally held, it was attended by the same representatives of the disputed Form 47 process,” he said.
Calling for a national APC, the PTI spokesperson also demanded that the PTI founder be included in such a forum. He cited the example of the United States denying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a visa over his alleged role in the Gujarat riots, contrasting it with Nawaz Sharif’s invitation to Modi to attend a private wedding in Pakistan without a visa. “Friends of Jindal cannot be protectors of Pakistan,” he added.
