Senator Farhatullah Babar said Monday that due to some recent events the balance of power has tipped towards Rawalpindi as opposed to Islamabad and “there is real and potent threat to democracy”.
Speaking in the Upper House, the senator said “This is a bad omen for democracy and democratic institutions and it is imperative that the government gears up to negotiate with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek to defuse the tense political situation and pull the country from the brink of a precipice.”
The senator said that the government’s “contemptuous and short-sighted” attitude of treating PTI Chairman Imran Khan as an “insane and irrational person” and refusing to talk to him.
“Even if it is conceded for a moment that Khan is an insane person, the government should still seek to approach and negotiate with him.”
He criticised Khan’s call for civil disobedience call and said that if urgent steps were not taken to defuse the situation then soon there will be nothing left in the hands of political forces in the country.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader said that foreign countries had issued travel advisories against travel to Pakistan and the missions had suspended issuance of visas.
He said that the world is watching with bated breath as to would happen to Pakistan, adding that local traders had also started protest demonstrations against the ‘Azadi’ and ‘Inqilabi’ marches.
