INTERVIEW: Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah
Leader of the opposition reveals backchannel dealings meant to diffuse Azadi march tensions
With PTI’s Aug14 long march imminent, opposition parties have been busy trying to hammer out a solution acceptable to all. Khurshid Shah has been at the centre of this feverish activity, trying to bring the PML-N and PTI together before their differences harm the entire political system and the country.
In an exclusive interview, he explains the rationale for this back-and-forth between the government and the PTI, and just why all opposition politicians want tensions to subside before Independence Day.
Q: Your thoughts on the long march?
KS: Imran Khan has conveyed to the government that the long march would be taken out at all costs, whether the government and his party reach a backchannel solution or not. We support his right to hold a protest demonstration which is the constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan. It would have been better if the long march was delayed until after the reforms in the electoral process but Imran Khan cannot postpone his march due to political compulsions.
Almost all political parties have exercised the right of long march. But we thin k that there should be measures to ensure a peaceful and protected march. We think the government should not take any unconstitutional and unethical step. State forces should not be used against protesters. But we want the protestors to remain peaceful and not violate the law.
It would have been better if the long march was delayed until after the reforms in the electoral process but Imran Khan cannot postpone his march due to political compulsions.
Once the march reaches Islamabad, Khan would hold dialogue with the government and we also support this idea. I think that the dialogue would finally succeed and the government would show flexibility in keeping with our past traditions.
Q: Are there any backchannel efforts underway?
KS: There are backchannel efforts and the government has sought guarantees from Khan that the march would be peaceful and his workers would not take law into their hands. Khan has responded in the affirmative and guaranteed that the marchers would remain peaceful and no law and order situation would be created by his party-men.
We think it is a good omen from Khan and we have asked the government to formulate terms of reference (ToRs) for this long march and the dialogue. The government is working on it. The government also wants some guarantors to ensure Khan would not violate the deal. Khan in return wants that his workers are not harassed and kept protected by law enforcing agencies. We support his demand but we feel that protection should be provided to the demonstrators, the people of the federal capital, government and sensitive installations and the political leadership.
Q: There are reports that efforts on part of members of the opposition, including yourself, to solve the developing crisis are actually a message for the army not to intervene. Do you believe army intervention might be a possibility?
KS: In my view, there is no role of army behind this unrest and long marches whatsoever. By helping diffuse the situation, politicians are not sending any messages to the army by gathering on a platform. Rather the message is for the government and the PTI.
As far as military intervention is concerned, the army may come in for an adventure anytime. But external and internal affairs may impact any such decision.
Therefore, we are trying to cement the democratic system. The joint efforts by all political forces are aimed at strengthening the democratic system. Any internal bickering within the democratic forces would only benefit a third force. So we want to avoid a repeat of the politics of confrontation of ‘80s and ‘90s.
We want that matters should not be allowed to go to the point of no return. If any of the parties creates such a situation, it will lose our support. We will oppose any move to jeopardise the democratic system.
So like other political forces, the PPP is playing a key role to achieve this objective. We want that matters should not be allowed to go to the point of no return. If any of the parties creates such a situation, it will lose our support. We will oppose any move to jeopardise the democratic system.
There are clear rules for the game and we would not allow anyone to resort to foul play.
Q: What do you think about Tahirul Qadri’s demands?
PPP thinks that Dr Tahirul Qadri is violating the law of the land and we oppose his demands. He does not accept the supremacy of the constitution and wants extraordinary measures which we don’t accept. We will oppose any ultra-constitutional demands. There is no constitutional worth of the demands being put forth by Dr Qadri. We respect Dr Qadri as a religious scholar but his opposition to a unanimously adopted constitution of 1973 is unacceptable for all political forces.
We could have negotiated with him if he had any representation in the parliament or he had at least explained how he wanted the constitution be amended. Since he has no such idea, we will not accept his demands.
Political parties are trying to mediate in the ongoing political crisis. We are not siding with the government but we are trying to save the system. We have rendered countless sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in the country and we want this system to continue.
The government should allow PTI to go forward with its long march and the crisis can be resolved if the government demonstrates some magnanimity.
Q: What about the minus-one formula?
It is not possible to implement a minus-one formula in the current political crisis. No party would be happy with the exclusion of its leader from the political arena. Without electoral reforms, in case the country has to undergo immediate mid-term elections, those would have to be held under the supervision of the current election commission.
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