Saad Rafique urges Nawaz Sharif to assert himself; play a role in initiating a dialogue
PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique. Photo: Express
LAHORE:
PML-N leaders, both inside and outside the corridors of power, have agreed on the need for a new democracy charter to dilute political enmity in the country.
There has also been a call on PML-N President Nawaz Sharif to take the initiative and play his role in initiating a dialogue process between all stakeholders.
These ideas were expressed at a ceremony held to mark the death anniversary of late Khawaja Muhammad Rafique, father of PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique.
Besides Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Saad Rafique and Salman Rafique, the speakers were politician Mohsin Dawar, JI leader Liaqat Baloch, former PML-N leader Zaeem Qadri and journalists Hamid Mir and Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami.
Despite the nature of the gathering, most of the speeches revolved around political instability, the need to return to democratic principles and the PTI in general.
The most hard-hitting speeches were delivered by Mohsin Dawar and senior journalist Hamid Mir, with the former questioning the effectiveness of the system governing federating units under the constitutional arrangement, while the latter reminded the audience how Khawaja Muhammad Rafique had valiantly fought against the then Field Marshal Ayub Khan for democracy.
Azam Nazir Tarar said there was an urgent need to find a way out of this quicksand of political extremism through dialogue. He said that a national dialogue was the need of the hour to achieve political and financial stability in the country, adding that without political stability, no country could progress.
He said Pakistan needed a political charter and stressed the importance of leaving a better Pakistan for future generations. In what might sound ironic, he said the way forward was to take criticism with bravery and patience.
Tarar left only seconds before Mohsin Dawar began his speech as he was to attend a nikah ceremony.
Dawar said that fascism had not come to an end after the partition. He said that the struggle of Khawaja Muhammad Rafique was identical to the struggle of today’s politicians who were fighting for democratic principles.
“We are only free on paper,” he said, adding that democracy flag bearer Ali Wazir and human rights activist Mahrang Baloch, who raised the issue of enforced disappearances, were both behind bars.
He said they were accused of insurgency movements only to remind the government that using the Taliban as a proxy in Afghanistan would prove to be a counterproductive policy, a policy that continues to haunt Pakistan to this day.
He said smaller federating units were finding it increasingly difficult to function under the existing constitutional arrangement, and questioned whether democracy really existed in that system.
He also demanded that the Senate be made more functional and powerful, on par with the National Assembly, and claimed that his election results were altered through Form 47.
Rana Sanaullah said conflict and chaos were hampering growth, but maintained that people should openly recognize who avoided dialogue.
Defending the government, he said the Shehbaz Sharif-led government had repeatedly reached out to the opposition with various offers, but each time these were rejected by the PTI as its founder did not want stability in the country.
He said after the no-confidence motion, the PML-N twice wanted to move towards an immediate election, but on both occasions Imran Khan reneged on his commitments and forced the PML-N government to change its plans.
He said that Imran Khan himself entered a dead end on May 9 and questioned whether there was any justification for what had happened.
He said that it was this chaos that Imran Khan wanted to create in Pakistan and therefore certain restrictions were placed on meetings with him.
He said political forces are currently on a collision course, which will only worsen the situation further.
Responding to allegations about the February 8, 2024 election, raised even during the event by PML-N’s own leaders, he questioned whether the July 25, 2018 election was fair, saying the PML-N’s mandate had been stolen.
Rana Sanaullah said opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif, despite expressing disappointment over alleged election rigging, had welcomed the government and offered a charter for economy to the Imran Khan-led government and a similar spirit had been shown by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“What Imran Khan did next is a matter of record,” he added.
He also dismissed claims that the prime minister was not authorized to engage in dialogue, saying that all offers from the government were extended in the presence of relevant stakeholders, suggesting that the military establishment was not obstructing any future negotiations.
Khawaja Saad Rafique urged PML-N President Nawaz Sharif to take the initiative and play his role in initiating a dialogue process among all stakeholders.
