PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai has said that raising a voice for legitimate rights should not be labelled extremism, while criticising discussions about imposing an emergency or introducing a separate administrative setup for 12 districts.
In a video statement on Saturday, Yousafzai said such proposals raised serious concerns regarding the 18th Amendment. He urged Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to understand the distinction between demanding constitutional rights and extremism.
Yousafzai said PTI was not opposing counterterrorism operations but wanted all stakeholders to be taken into confidence. He added that imposing an emergency or governor’s rule would not resolve the underlying issues.
Calling for political stability, the PTI leader urged the government to set aside rigidity and pursue dialogue. He said the use of force against political parties would not help achieve stability.
Yousafzai also claimed that large numbers of people would reach Swabi to participate in a protest despite what he described as government pressure.