RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League chief and former federal interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that arresting people would spread hatred while dialogue is the need of the hour.
The ex-minister said on Sunday that the heads and leaders of 13 parties have fled the country by plunging the masses in economic torment and blaming the caretaker government for it. One [of the leaders] has flown to London, another was in Dubai, while the third was in Saudi Arabia; and the poor people are [protesting] on the streets.
“Yesterday’s shutter down strike is an evidence that the business community is also in [financial] trouble,” he wrote.
Rashid said the present rulers boasted of giving relief on electricity bills within 48 hours, but even after a week the situation persisted.
The former minister said arresting protesters was wastage of time, it would increase hatred [against the government]. He advised to initiate dialogues as negotiations would resolve the crisis.
“In politics, the doors of dialogue are never closed,” he added.
“Stringent actions was no solution to the problems. Steps have to be taken to improve the situation. It is a pity that even the decisions of the judiciary are not being obeyed,” he continued.
Rashid warned that Pakistan “is in dire need of political stability; if stability does not come, the situation will become serious and dire.”
He said September was the most important month. “It is to be seen whether it will be auspicious for the people or cruel.”
A day earlier, The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is ready to hold talks with all political groups and state institutions, the party’s incarcerated chairman said in a message from Attock Jail on Saturday.
The former prime minister’s legal team, while talking to a group of reporters outside the jail, conveyed his reconciliatory message.
“The country cannot progress, unless there’s political stability,” he was quoted as having said by Barrister Shoaib Shaheen, who was part of the legal team that met the PTI chief.
According to the former premier, the barrister said, there was no respect left for the country’s judiciary. “The PTI chief has clarified that he has not agreed on any deal and he rejects the same.”
Shaheen said that the former premier was adamant in saying that he wouldn’t get off the right path he was on. “My political struggle and sacrifice is for this nation.” –Agencies
