Naqvi’s appointment was pre-planned

An interview with AGP Punjab Ahmed Awais

LAHORE: The Advocate General of Punjab and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Ahmed Awais has been a central figure and the go to legal expert for the party who has stood by Chairman Imran Khan through the thick and thin.

Awais has a broad and extensive practice in com-plex litigation and arbitration matters, including constitution, civil, criminal, securities, banking, labor, services, contests for corporate control, corporate criminal investigations, and white-collar crime.

A very knowledgeable, moderate thinking man, Awais is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars and has also served in several lawyers and bar association committees and counsels.

Bol News talks to the senior lawyer over the appointment of the Caretaker CM in Punjab and other burning issues confronting the PTI.

 Q. Why is the PTI opposing Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as the Caretaker CM in Punjab?

Ahmed Awais: PTI and its leadership are correct in opposing Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as the Caretaker CM because he has previously been known as a close aide to Asif Ali Zardari. Soon after his appointment, he has demonstrated this by making massive illegal transfers and postings and dismissing the officers in the various law authorities who were appointed by the PTI administration. The caretaker CM’s sole responsibility is to assist the EC in holding free and fair elections, but he is instead determined to please the PDM parties and assist the EC in rigging the polls.

 Q. Is Mohsin Naqvi a NAB convict? If so, can he hold the position of Interim CM?

AA: In the Haris Steel Mills case, an inquiry was initiated by the National Accountability Bureau(NAB) against Mohsin Naqvi and he moved an application to avail “voluntary return” of the amount under the law. Later, the supreme court in a judgment held that a person accused of corruption or corrupt practices volunteers to offer to return the amount he has pocketed or gained through illegal means, cannot hold any government public office because the act of voluntary return falls under the definition of misconduct. The PTI has challenged his appointment in the Supreme Court and the same petition would also be moved in the Lahore High Court.

The matter is very clear, that in order to maintain impartiality and transparency, Mohsin Naqvi must not be appointed as head of the interim set-up.

Q. Did the Election Commission play its constitutional role and followed the due course in appointment of the Caretaker CM?

AA: The credibility of the ECP has been questionable since the beginning because all its decisions have been against PTI. Moreover, everyone was aware that Mohsin will get the nod of approval from the ECP because he is the PDM’s man. I strongly feel that the incumbent Chief of ECP should immediately step down as his credibility and that of the ECP among people is at an all-time low.

Q. Do you think the PML-N deliberately dragged its feet on the issue so that the ECP is left to decide on it?

AA: Yes absolutely. The entire game of Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as the Caretaker CM was pre-planned. The Caretaker CM’s primary job is to assist ECP in holding free and fair elections, but Mohsin has become subservient to PDM and PML-N in particular. He has already made several changes in the administration and dismissed the law officers illegally. His appointment was pre-planned because the PML-N deliberately abstained from sitting in the negotiations with PTI, which allowed the issue to get dragged to the ECP.

The PML-N purposefully avoided the negotiations and dragged out the issue till the end and the whole game confirmed the PTI’s assertion that the ECP and PDM are hand-in-glove.

Q. What does PTI hope to achieve from its protest against Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment?

AA: The PTI is publicly protesting the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi to inform the public that the interim CM has been put in place to rig the upcoming elections and steal their mandate. The party would continue its protest campaign to keep up the pressure on the interim administration to refrain from rigging the elections.

Q. Do you see the interim CM’s appointment as continuation of the regime change operation.

AA: Yes, it is accurate to say that Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment is a continuation of the regime change operation, given how happy all the PDM parties are about the move. He will help them with their plan to rig the elections in exchange.

Q. Would PTI go into elections with Mohsin Naqvi as the Caretaker CM?

AA: The PTI has challenged his nomination in the Supreme Court, and we can only hope that the court will dismiss him. Regarding the elections, PTI would fight the election and thwart any attempts to rig them. PTI, however, would in no way accept a rigged election outcome and will go for a significant public demonstration. In November, there will be general elections for the

National Assembly and let me tell you that the Punjab Assembly polls will set the tone. The PTI support is at an all-time high and there is no way any conspiracy can deprive us of that.

Q. Do you think the Punjab Caretaker Government played the role of a facilitator in the arrest of Fawad Chaudhry?

AA: Since the PTI is challenging the Caretaker CM’s appointment, he entirely assisted the federal government in the arrest of Fawad Chaudhry on the orders of the PDM administration, rather than defending the constitutional rights of the citizens. The arrest of Fawad has demonstrated the fear of the PDM’s fascist government and how it is running away from elections, besides its use of unlawful tactics to harass its political rivals.

Q. Was the dissolution of Punjab Assembly a wise decision?

AA: Undoubtedly, it was a prudent option given that the country’s economy had reached a critical point and that only an elected administration could help it recover. Over the past nine months, the PDM government has wrecked the economy and the country. People are committing suicide due to the unbearable inflation that has gone out of control of this incompetent and fascist government.

Q. What would be the party’s line of action if Imran Khan is arrested?

AA: Imran Khan currently enjoys a huge amount of public support and all the PDM parties are well aware that they cannot defeat him in the elections. They want to take him out of the running for the next general elections. Without a doubt, they would try to have him arrested or have his eligibility revoked in a false case. However, the party has come up with a plan to deal with the circumstances, if and when we are faced with them. In addition, the people of this country will make life hell for the PDM and its cronies and they bloody well know that.