Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stressed on Sunday the need for a national dialogue, saying Pakistan required political and economic stability as the country remains mired in political clashes between the government and the opposition.
“Politics is the name of a continuous process,” he said, as he addressed a seminar in Lahore. “No country or nation can progress amid political and economic instability.”
The relationship between the government and the opposition has come under additional strain in recent weeks, especially after the military’s spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, assailed incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan as a “national security threat”, triggering a strong reaction.
Moreover, Imran, who is already facing a slew of legal cases, was once again sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment in the Toshakhana 2 case on Saturday, making his release uncertain.
The law minister stated that the country had witnessed cultures of tolerance as well as violence, emphasising that it was the duty of politicians to “balance out” these tendencies and pave a way through “dialogue”.
He emphasised that all politicians must play their role in preventing violence and extremism from paving the way into politics.
“We feel the need for a national dialogue, only for the sake of our beloved country.”
Emphasising restraint and respect for dissent, he called for “listening to opponents, embracing positive criticism, and forging a national political charter to ensure stability”.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) – the grand opposition alliance headed by Mahmood Khan Achakzai – is currently holding a two-day national conference in Islamabad.
The alliance had also called for a national dialogue in all parties’ conference in August, calling for a new charter of democracy between all political stakeholders.
“The parties participating in the TTAP and its All-Party Conference (APC) agreed that at this time there is an urgent need for a new democratic charter among all political parties and political forces,” they said.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had also shown his willingness to facilitate a dialogue between the government and the opposition parties. However, there has been no formal initiation of the dialogue between the government and the opposition since last year.
Speaking at the same event, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said political stability can only be achieved through “restraint, mutual respect and sustained dialogue.”
He warned that “confrontation and violence” had repeatedly derailed Pakistan’s democratic course.
“No nation can progress through fighting, chaos and disorder,” adding that attacks on defence installations were “gravely wrong” and unacceptable.
He argued that political instability emerges when parties abandon dialogue for confrontation, stressing that the government has repeatedly offered talks.
“Tell us – who is refusing dialogue? If it is us, we will correct ourselves; if it is someone else, name them,” he said.
Rejecting claims that the general elections were selectively fair or unfair, Sanaullah recalled that even in 2018, the opposition alleged mandate theft, yet extended an offer to work together in parliament – an offer that was rebuffed with threats of imprisonment by Imran.
“If elections are disputed, political parties – not the establishment – must decide the way forward. Political stability is essential for national progress.”
Sanaullah also cited overtures made before the passage of this year’s budget, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly invited the opposition for talks, including in the presence of the military leadership, proposing a ‘Charter of Pakistan’.
“Who is declining political dialogue?” he asked again, urging clarity to remove ambiguities blocking stability.
The former interior minister said, noting that while second-tier leadership within the PTI favours dialogue, fear of backlash from within the party’s ranks had stifled it.
Saad Rafique calls for charters of democracy and economy
Senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique called for a Charter of Democracy and a Charter of Economy, warning against inter-provincial polarisation and repeated assaults on the sanctity of the vote.
Rafique underscored that confrontation and chaos cannot strengthen the state, warning that repeated assaults on the sanctity of the vote had eroded public trust.
Calling for a Charter of Democracy and a Charter of Economy, he urged “engagement with all constitutional forces and dialogue with institutions to reduce political pressure and restore stability”.