“We hope to build a national consensus to combat terrorism,” PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s offer to mediate talks between political parties comes at a time when Pakistan’s democracy, already weakened by deep political divides, faces a renewed terror threat. Yet leaders remain entangled in bitter rivalries, undermining the unity required to confront this crisis.
Scepticism about dialogue is understandable. Since its ouster in 2022, Imran Khan’s party has treated dialogue as a political liability rather than a democratic necessity. It dismissed former PM Shehbaz Sharif’s olive branch for economic talks as a bid to “borrow legitimacy.” After the violent 2023 protests, it doubled down, refusing negotiations until its demands were fulfilled. Even when the government initiated multiple rounds of talks in late 2023 and early 2024, PTI walked away, insisting on settling past scores. Such maximalist posturing that prioritises grievances over governance has left counterterrorism efforts in limbo. How can a state combat external threats when its leadership is locked in internal warfare?
The ruling coalition’s fractures add to the chaos. The PPP has repeatedly bristled at the PML-N’s centralized decision-making while PM Shehbaz seems unwilling to share power. If allies can’t resolve their squabbles, bridging gaps with rivals like PTI appears impossible.
Bilawal’s mediation bid should be focused on accountability. Pakistan’s history is full of failed talks that focused more on show than results. For this to work, the government must address PTI’s core demands. Meanwhile, PTI must decide: Does it want solutions or endless confrontation?
To his credit, Bilawal has positioned himself as a voice of reason. But goodwill alone cannot bridge these divides.
The Sharif government must prove it can listen, and PTI must move beyond victimhood. If this initiative collapses into another cycle of blame games and walkouts, it will only deepen the public’s frustration. *