Alvi urges politicians to resolve political crisis on priority.

ISLAMABAD: Alvi urges politicians to resolve political crisis on priority: President Dr Arif Alvi has called upon the political parties to base their electoral campaigns on the charter of the economy. He said the solution to crises like floods and the economy will not be a problem once the political crisis is resolved.

Pakistan's economic woes should be addressed as the World Bank also indicated the possibility of the country going to default, he said, speaking to a private news channel in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. He said the IMF's programme has held off this default but only temporarily.

Responding to a question, the President said that he remains in touch with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and had a detailed positive discussion with him.

The President was asked if he favours the government being given a few months to carry out relief work and economic uplift before the elections. He replied that politicians should hold a discussion on this point as the nation requires clear leadership.

Alvi said that the incumbent government is working hard to deal with the issues of electricity bills and dollars.

A government of technocrats, once formed, goes out of sync with the people, he said, adding, "We, however, need competent technocrats and reliable technical support."

Dr Arif Alvi said that Pakistan cannot afford conflicts. Therefore, the economic crisis should not be allowed to grow to a level where people come out on the streets, leaving the government to make compromises, he noted.

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