Democracy key for country’s uplift: Khaqan

LAHORE: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, head of the Awam Pakistan Party, stressed that democracy is essen-tial for the nation’s stability and urged the need for systematic reforms.
Speaking to the media in Lahore, Abbasi criticised the current governance structure, stating that prov-inces operate based on directives from the chief minister, often bypassing broader consultation. He emphasised that Pakistan’s economic growth has traditionally thrived during democratic eras. While citing Ayub Khan’s tenure as a period of growth, he argued that the results could have been even better under a democratic system.
Abbasi also highlighted the importance of practical knowledge and global experience over mere aca-demic qualifications.
He recalled Pakistan’s pioneering privatisation initiatives in the banking, cement, and fertilizer sectors. –Agencies