Time for political bonhomie as PM Shehbaz offers talks to opposition

What could be described as an olive branch extended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the the opposition, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday not only shook hands with the PTI-SIC MNAs and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman during the National Assembly (NA) session, but also offered talks to the opposition so that rising political temperature could be brought down. 

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the Prime Minister approached the PTI-backed SIC members at their seats for the meeting.

PM Shehbaz shook hands with the Opposition Leader in the House Omar Ayub Khan and other legislators of the opposition party, including Ali Muhammad Khan, Asad Qaiser, and Zain Qureshi.

Additionally, PM Shehbaz Sharif embraced Maulana Fazlur Rahman at his seat in the Assembly, signalling a thaw in political tensions.

Speaking during the session after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said there was a need to take stock of Pakistan’s economic situation 75 years after independence. “The fact is that the country is on the verge of bankruptcy,” he said, adding, “Every government says that the budget it has presented is pro-people.”

The JUI-F chief further said that if looked at from the diplomatic point of view, PM Shehbaz’s recent visit to China was not a success. “China told the prime minister that there was political instability in Pakistan. The country also said categorically that the security situation in Pakistan was not encouraging either,” he reminded.

Fazl said that in order to address China’s concerns, the apex committee and now the federal cabinet had given a go-ahead signal to the Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, which he said would not bring stability to the country.

He went on to say that thousands of Pak PWD employees had been rendered jobless after the government closed the department. “By the way who had advised you to do that,"? he questioned.

The JUI-F chief said that the parliament had no worth. “When the military establishment rigs the elections, the same thing will happen,” he opined.

Fazl said he had advised Shehbaz Sharif not to become the country’s prime minister, and engage in a dialogue with all parties. “But now when he has become the PM, then he must face the music.”

Reporters: Usman Khan and Rozeena Ali