Both the ruling and opposition political parties have been urging for political dialogue for several months, but none is taking steps despite it being urgent for the political and economic stability of Pakistan. When politicians themselves get able to settle political issues is a question not answered since 1958.
However, after the 2024 general elections political turmoil was witnessed in this country and it went many steps further when May 9 happened. After the elections, the PTI alleged serious electoral irregularities and started the agitation on the roads instead of presenting concrete evidence and initiating talks with the government. This party went to such an extent that it was found involved in committing May 9. Even before and after May 9 this party never preferred negotiations with ruling parties.
At first, this party didn’t take this matter seriously, but after a loop was tightened around this party in terms of cases and arrests, it started to express wishes for negotiations not with the government but with the military establishment. This party then constituted a three-member committee comprising Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Omar Ayub Khan.
It was such a vague committee that it was not even clear about its mandate and the agenda for negotiations. There had been reports in the media that there were some back contacts between the PTI and the military establishment. In the meantime, the ruling coalition parties especially the PMLN and PPP constantly urged for dialogue with the PTI.
They have been asking and asking the PTI for talks but never took first to form some committee and approach the PTI. On the other hand, PTI had constantly rejected the government’s offers for dialogue and always stressed dialogue with the military establishment considering it the only center for power. Now it has been around a month since the PTI formed the said committee, but still, there is no result. However, the dreams of PTI were shattered when the Director General of the ISPR on May 9, 2024, and the Chief of Army Staff on the next day told in black and white that neither there were talks nor there was a possibility for such talks with the PTI’s leadership stating that no comprise could be made on May 9 riots.
A very interesting aspect of DG ISPR’s talk was that he expressed the military’s desire that there was a way for PTI to ask for a pardon publicly and pledge for healthy and constructive politics. He said that talks should be held between political parties without the involvement of military. But more interesting situation emerged when PTI bot only refused from asking pardon but also criticized the DG ISPR stating who gave him the mandate to hold talks with the PTI. The Secretary General of PTI and leader of the opposition Omar Ayub said “Who gave the DG ISPR a mandate for talks with the PTI? It is the discretion, mandate, and power of the political parties to hold talks with one another. We will talk with the Prime Minister through his position to this office is questionable, but even then, he is mandated for talks with PTI.”
Similarly, the mainstream leadership of the PPP and PMLN Including President Asif Ali Zardari, and the Prime Minister urged the need for talks. but so far nothing in reality exists there on both sides about the PTI.
The President of Pakistan on May 9 stressed that the current political situation demands that all political parties work towards promoting tolerance, democratic values, and political dialogue, and provide a clear direction to the nation. He urged political parties, parliament, the media, and civil society to strengthen democracy by upholding the rule of law and fostering a culture of tolerance, political dialogue, and inclusivity.
Similarly, bigwigs of the PMLN including Rana Sana Ullah Khan and Senator Irfan Siddiqi are urging talks with the PTI but on the other hand, this urgency is just limited to the statements. Neither the government nor the PTI are looking seriously into developing a ground for negotiations. Each of them is just busy slinging mud on each other. No one cares that earlier the president of China canceled his visit to Pakistan, and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Muhammad Bin Salman for the second time differed his visit to Pakistan, the IMF mission to Pakistan is linking political stability with the economic stability of Pakistan.
In the given situation the major responsibility lies on the government to take a step forward and do something practical on the ground. The government should stop its leaders from instigating the leaders of the opposition as was witnessed yesterday when the defense minister on the floor of the House said about the grandfather of the opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan. Instead, the government should positively utilize the statement of the DG ISPR and should form a committee comprising leaders of coalition partners and extend its hand first. Similarly, the PTI should also honor what the leader of the opposition said for holding talks with the prime minister. It should also avoid how Mr. Omar Ayub Khan on the floor of the House reacted to the defense minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif.
Although it has been nothing new with the political parties here in Pakistan for inviting military establishment in political and executive affairs, it should have ended here when the Army decided before May 9 to keep it away from politics. It was the political parties that invited them again through actions.
Tough reliance on the military for coming into power is common to almost every political party in Pakistan but this dependency was seen more in 2024. Going to the recent past we see that the PTI was in favor of the previous military establishment and now is against the current one. The PMLN was against the previous establishment and is now in favor of the current establishment. This is so because everyone here had been more interested in power than in bringing some system to place to help cut this dependency. Hopefully, both the government and opposition will take it seriously what DG ISPR said about dialogues. If not now then when we will think about an economically and politically prosperous Pakistan.
(Author: Senior journalist Rana Kashif)
