Form-47 assemblies have no legitimacy to change country's structure: Salman Akram Raja

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said on Monday that Form-47 assemblies lacked the legitimacy to change the country’s structure or alter the system of government. “We have to sit with everyone and move forward with everyone. The Form-47 assemblies do not have the legitimacy to change the structure of the country or alter the system of government. If there is agreement on our principled position on this, then we can move forward together,” said Raja while speaking to a private television programme, Capital Talk. Raja said his party was ready to work on principled grounds with all political parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). He invited them to join its Sept 27 protest to strengthen the democratic and federal system. He said his party’s meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence had resulted in an agreement on matters of principle. “There was agreement on matters of principle. In the current situation of the country, whoever wants to move with us based on principles can do so. Why would we keep anyone away from us?” Read: Opposition alliance takes shape Raja said the PTI was not relying on anyone and was not subordinate to any political party. “We are not dependent on anyone, nor are we subordinate to anyone. If someone wants to move with us, they can do so, and if someone wants to leave, they can leave. We will continue the politics of principles that we are pursuing,” he said. Responding to a question about the long march announced by the PTI for Sept 27, Raja said the party would not prevent anyone from participating. “We will not stop anyone from participating in the long march. We will come out for the survival of this country. Whoever wants to move with us can do so, but the decision will be taken at the level of the core committee and political committee,” he said. Regarding the contempt petition filed over the government's alleged failure to comply with a Supreme Court order concerning the shifting of PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for treatment, Raja clarified that the PTI had not filed the petition. “The petition had been filed by Uzma Khan and her lawyer, Uzair Bhandari, who had said it was his professional decision to determine whom to make a party to the case,” Raja said while responding to a question about why Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had not been made a party to the case, despite the interior secretary being named as a respondent. Also Read: PTI files contempt petition in SC over alleged violation of order on Imran's hospital transfer He said Adiala Jail was located in Punjab; therefore, the relevant provincial officials were responsible for ensuring that Imran was shifted from the jail to Shifa International Hospital in accordance with the SC's order. “Adiala jail is located in Punjab, so it was the responsibility of the relevant officials in Punjab to shift Imran from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital under the SC's order. But because Shifa is located in Islamabad and Imran was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa, all those government officials who were present on the ground are responsible,” he said. Raja rejected the government's position regarding compliance with the SC's order, saying it was incorrect to claim that the order had not been violated. He questioned whether there had been any violation of the order or if the treatment of other patients at Shifa Hospital had been disrupted. “If some people, driven by emotion, come themselves and stand on the footpath and shower flowers in an organised manner, there is no violation of any order,” he said.