- Political leaders urge govt, PTI and PAT to resolve political crisis through dialogue
Vowing to oppose any unconstitutional step, the All Parties Conference (APC) held under the aegis of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Wednesday issued a 10-point declaration urging the government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to resolve the political impasse through negotiations.
Political leaders including Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N)’s Raja Zafarul Haq, Ehsan Wyne of Awami National Party (ANP), Khurram Nawaz Gandapur of PAT, Dr Sabiha Arshad of Khaksar Tehreek, Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PTI, Manzoor Gillani of Tehreek-e-Istiqlal, Senator Rehman Malik of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Haider Abbas Rizvi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Asadullah Bhutto of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) spoke on the occasion besides the bar representatives, whereas a large number of lawyers and their representatives also attended the conference.
Resolving to ensure Constitution’s supremacy, Judiciary’s independence and Parliament’s sovereignty, the APC’s declaration demanded an independent election commission, transparent accountability system and withdrawal of increase in prices of electricity.
RAJA STRESSES BASIC POLITICAL VALUES:
Speaking on the occasion, PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq emphasised the need for strengthening basic political values. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif provided opportunity to Baloch nationalist parties to form government in Balochistan and it produced good results. Similarly, a chance was given to PTI to form a government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite the fact that PML-N could have formed a government with the help of other parties and independent MPAs, he added.
“It was not easy to adopt such conduct and if such attitude was adopted by other political parties, the environment would get better,” he added.
MALIK SAYS MASSES WANT TO GO HOME:
Addressing the APC, PPP Senator Rehman Malik said that PPP would play its role to resolve the present crisis as the masses wanted the sit-ins to be called off.
“People participating in sit-ins want to go to their homes and they should be unconditionally allowed to proceed to their homes,” he added.
WORDS OF WISDOM:
During their speeches, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi criticised family politics and highlighted the need for provision of social justice while JI leader Asadullah Bhutto highlighted the widening gap between the rich and poor.
Moreover, as ANP leader Ehsan Wyne deemed the demand for prime minister’s resignation to be unconstitutional, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi assured that his party believed in supremacy of the Constitution, parliamentary democracy and independence of judiciary.