Court not empowered to amend Constitution: Asfandyar

PESHAWAR Central President of Awami National Party (ANP) Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that no court can make amendments in the Constitution of the country, saying that there would be no danger of collision between the state institutions provided all of them work within their constitutional frame.
He said that in no way Kalabagh Dam was an acceptable measure and added that in order to address the issue of scarcity of water, work should be carried out on other water projects including Basha and Munda dams. Terrorists were aiming the national movement of Pakhtuns and the struggle against terrorists would continue to bring peace to the region, the ANP stalwart maintained.
Asfandyar Wali Khan was addressing a gathering at Peshawar on Monday wherein former Provincial Minister Nawabzada Mohsin Ali Khan, Irfanullah Khan Kundi, Fazal Hakim Mohmand, and Mian Ghafoor announced joining the ANP. NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Provincial Ministers and Senators Haji Adeel and Zahid Khan were also present on the occasion.
In his address, Asfandyar Wali Khan said that nowadays an impression was being given that there was danger of clash between various organs of the state institutions, saying there would be no such concerns if all the institutions work within their allotted sphere of duty mentioned in the Constitution of the country.
He continued, saying that it was the Parliament that can make amendments in the constitution of the country and courts, however, could interpret the constitution but has no authority of amending it.
The ANP Central President said that during a meeting under the chair of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani, it was decided that the Government would act upon the decision of the apex court of the country. He, however, questioned that when an ordinance lapsed after completion of its duration than why was there a need of taking action on it.
Keeping in view the peculiar situation of the region, he stressed the need of unity and added that terrorists were aiming at the national movement of Pakhtuns and those raising voices for their rights were targeted by terrorists. He maintained that it has been decided by them that they would continue with the efforts for bringing peace back to the region and would not give up before terrorists.
Asfandyar Wali further said that it was a wrong notion that the election manifesto of the party has been forgotten and added that NFC award was on their party agenda which was successfully carried out, and now work was being carried out on changing the name of the province regarding which people would soon hear a good news.
He said that the JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl ur Rahman was criticising ANP-led provincial government in NWFP for the military operation in Waziristan and continued saying that the region wherein military operation was carried out falls under the jurisdiction of the central Government and Maulana himself was part of the Federal Government, then why he was not criticising it.
He said that accountability of all is must in the country to bring an end to corruption and added that he had also made it clear to the then President Pervez Musharraf that if he wants to end corruption then all should be brought into the accountability orbit including the three (Gs).
Agencies add: Asfandyar said in the prevailing circumstances, when the government was fully engaged in war against terrorism, country could not sustain such confrontation among institutions.
ANP president warmly welcomed Mohsin Ali Khan on joining of his party and forthwith awarded him membership of Central Executive Council of ANP.
He said ANP would benefit from the acumen, politics and experience of Mohsin Ali Khan and use his services on resolution of important national issues.
We have taken very clear and firm stance against militancy that war against terrorism will continue till elimination of the last terrorist from our soil, Asfandyar vowed.
He said that the founder of ANP, Bacha Khan had adopted the policy of challenging the traitor and the same policy was adopted by present leadership of the party against terrorists. We could not be bowed down through killing of our party men, Asfandyar added. He said only in Babar incident the ANP sacrificed its 610 members. The party has always rendered sacrifice for it principle stand.