Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, emphasized the urgent need for opposition unity, pointing out that the core issue within PTI is that its founder is in jail.
In a media conversation in Rawalpindi, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi highlighted the challenges PTI faces, stating that those still outside the party have differing views, and contradictions are evident in the statements of PTI’s leadership. He further stressed the importance of opposition unity to confront these challenges.
The former Prime Minister also noted that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has concerns about PTI, and while there are differences between JUI and PTI, they are willing to work together for the greater cause, underlining the need for opposition unity.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stressed that if members of the opposition continue to criticize each other, how will they move forward? He mentioned that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa personally attacking Maulana Fazlur Rehman would only worsen the environment, and this issue remains unresolved.
He also said it was positive that everyone in the opposition is united on the rule of law and the Constitution, contrasting this with the situation before 2018, which was very different.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi pointed out that the system of governance has changed in the last seven years. The question of who holds power is unclear, and the debate about the six canals is ongoing with no solution in sight about where the water will come from. He raised concerns that neither Punjab nor Sindh is getting enough water, highlighting the deep concern in both provinces about the canal issue.
He also stressed that senior politician Nawaz Sharif should step forward to take on a leadership role. He stated that if Nawaz Sharif doesn’t play his part, who else will? He mentioned that Nawaz Sharif’s role is more crucial now, especially since his party is in power. He criticized Nawaz Sharif for being silent at this crucial time.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi further stated that no party or politician can be completely erased; only the people can bring change. He argued that the “minus-one, plus-one” system doesn’t work and suggested that the PTI founder should work on self-reform, as his time in power wasn’t successful.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called out the corruption within the PTI-led provincial governments, particularly criticizing the government in Punjab under Usman Buzdar as the most corrupt. He also pointed out that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen 12 years of corruption, and the PTI federal government failed to accomplish anything substantial during its four years in power.
He added that while the PTI founder still enjoys public support, if he continues to pursue the same policies after returning to power, it would serve no purpose. He criticized the government’s claim of managing the economy, saying it was wrong. He pointed out that Pakistan’s economy still has a negative growth rate.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi emphasized that common people have no stake in the stock market, and taking loans is not an achievement. He questioned how the economy could improve when companies are taxed at 62%, pointing out that the stock market’s ups and downs do not reflect economic growth.