Hold grand dialogue to avert 'irreparable loss': speakers.

KARACHI -- Amid fears of default, growing political instability and a deepening crisis of governance, leaders from the ruling coalition and other senior politicians agreed on Sunday that it was high time for the major political parties - those who are in power and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf - to find a way out of these challenges through dialogue.

Otherwise, the country would face an irreparable loss the like of which 'one couldn't even imagine'.

Dubbing the current political leadership 'incapable', the parliamentary system 'ineffective' and the economy 'on the verge of collapse', politicians from different backgrounds appealed to the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief Justice of Pakistan to keep their institutions within the defined boundaries of the Constitution.

The strong warning, thoughts about reformation, and a call for dialogue came from a host of political mavericks like former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his party colleague and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail, and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who parted ways with the PPP recently, at a day-long seminar on 'Reimagining Pakistan' at Habib University.

They said 'ours is an apolitical platform for political awakening among parties' so they could focus on their real agenda of reforms, stability and consensus on key national issues.

'It's [the crisis being faced by Pakistan] a test for everyone,' said Mr Abbasi in his address. 'Whether it's Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Fazlur Rehman or Asif Ali Zardari - it's also your test. It's almost proven that the crisis facing Pakistan cannot be solved by any party alone. 'So the country's leadership needs to think beyond personal agendas. They have to sit together. They have to find a way out. The people of Pakistan and the youth of Pakistan are looking up to you.

Even if you don't have any solution, still you can try.'

He wondered how the federal cabinet was 'working as usual' at a time when Pakistan was facing the worst challenges of its existence. This had exposed the capability of the governing system and betrayed the indifference of the ruling class to the misery of the poor.

'This country needs a new social contract,' said the former premier.

'And when we talk about a new social contract, it's in fact implementation of our Constitution in its true spirit. When will we be able to send true representatives of the nation to parliament?

'Let me be very clear. This parliament is not doing legislation for...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT