Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party Condemns Suspension of Live Broadcast During Khushal Khan Kakar’s Speech

Islamabad: The Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP) has strongly condemned the sudden suspension of live television coverage during the speech of its chairman and Member of the National Assembly Khushal Khan Kakar in the National Assembly of Pakistan, calling the move an attack on democratic values, parliamentary traditions, and freedom of expression.

In a press release issued by the party’s central secretariat, PkNAP stated that the interruption of the live broadcast during Kakar’s speech was an unacceptable attempt to silence the voice of the people. The party claimed that despite winning the NA-251 constituency, Khushal Khan Kakar had been prevented from entering parliament for nearly two years through various delays until the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared him the successful candidate and restored his parliamentary status.

The statement said that even after taking oath, Kakar was not given an opportunity to speak in the assembly for about a week. When he finally began addressing the house, the live broadcast was allegedly cut off and the speaker repeatedly intervened to limit his speech. The party described the incident as deeply regrettable and contrary to democratic norms.

According to the press release, Kakar was speaking about the problems faced by underdeveloped regions, particularly Pashtun areas, including economic deprivation, unequal distribution of resources, law and order challenges, and constitutional rights. The party alleged that suspending the broadcast indicated an attempt by certain quarters to prevent these issues from being discussed at the national level.

PkNAP emphasized that parliament is the highest democratic forum where elected representatives must be allowed to raise the concerns of their constituents freely. Suppressing the voice of an elected representative, the party said, is equivalent to silencing the voices of millions of citizens and undermines public trust in democratic institutions.

The party demanded a transparent explanation for the incident and called for assurances that no elected member’s speech would be interrupted or censored in the future. It reiterated its commitment to continue its political struggle for constitutional rights, fair representation, and control over resources for the people it represents.