LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples’ Party Punjab leader Hasan Murtaza believes that those who accuse Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan of being foreign stooge and reject option of dialogue with him are no different from him, as they too are contributing to unrest in Pakistan.

Hasan was responding to Pakistan Democratic Movement Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s news conference, wherein Fazl completely rejected option of dialogue, stating that Imran was “Launched” by foreign forces. Fazl, who is Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam blamed PPP for existing crises, stating that he had suggested resigning from all assemblies to push for general elections, while party wanted to oust Imran from power via a no-confidence motion.

Murtaza said effects of economic downturn were temporary and once economy stabilises, their government would reap its benefits.

He stated that actual problem in Pakistan’s politics was polarisation and that this divide should be bridged for betterment of country, visible from statements on both sides of political spectrum.

He stated that they would want all political players in arena for dialogue, regardless of challenges. PPP had recently formed three-member committee to engage with leaders of allied parties in government to convince them on option of dialogue, as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and JUI-F, main allied parties in ruling alliance had rejected option of engaging in dialogue.

Another senior PPP leader and member of committee, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, said that Fazl’s statement was exactly why committee was formed.

He stated that their primary task was to convince parties for dialogue and while he understood Fazl’s anger towards PTI, they would try to ease tension and that dialogue was only way forward. He stated that committee was meeting with leaders of allied parties to convince them for dialogue and that terms of reference for dialogue would be decided later.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 17 2023

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