SYED SHAHABUDDIN
Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, has strongly condemned the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the allocation of reserved seats, calling it the most infamous and unconstitutional verdict in the history of Pakistan. He said the decision aims to politically isolate Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but the party will resist it on all fronts.
Addressing a press conference at Swat Press Club, Barrister Saif stated that the 26th Constitutional Amendment is being misused to override the will of the people. He said handing over PTI’s constitutionally mandated seats to other parties is nothing short of a robbery of public mandate. “When the time comes to make decisions, those in power stab the nation in the back,” he said.
He added that PTI’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, is being punished for crimes he never committed. “He has been falsely implicated in numerous cases, arrested, and kept in jail merely to suppress his popularity. However, the people stand firmly with Imran Khan and he will emerge victorious,” Saif asserted.
Criticizing Awami National Party’s leader Aimal Wali Khan, Barrister Saif questioned, “He must clarify how he was made a center of political operations in Balochistan through establishment support, and now he has the audacity to criticize us?”
Speaking further, he said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is a major beneficiary of the reserved seats, should demonstrate sincerity by giving up those seats, if he truly stands for Islamic and democratic principles. “He should first bring transparency within his own party before lecturing others,” he added.
“Parties that claim to support democracy must voluntarily relinquish the reserved seats stolen from PTI — they have no moral or constitutional right to them,” he emphasized. “This is a blatant violation of the people’s mandate.”
Barrister Saif also highlighted the double standards in economic diplomacy, saying, “We are seeking trade ties with Afghanistan to uplift our border regions, yet face unnecessary opposition. On the other hand, when the Chief Minister of Sindh signs agreements with China, no one raises a finger. Why are we being singled out?”
On security matters, he said terrorism cannot be eradicated through military operations alone. “It is a social, political, and administrative issue. Terrorists in the country are fighting against the state — not the provincial government. Yet the federal government is failing to provide financial and technical support, and apex committee recommendations are being ignored.”
Speaking about the Swat river tragedy, Barrister Saif assured that full action will be taken on the inquiry report and all those found negligent will be held accountable. “Let me be clear, I am not an establishment man — I am a PTI worker. I too have faced false cases and threats of arrest, but I have neither paid extortion nor will I ever do so,” he concluded.
