LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) secretary general Muhammad Ali Durrani called on PML-N President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail on Thursday and conveyed him a message from party chief Sibghatullah Rashidi better known as the Pir of Pagaro, asking him to play his role in convincing the opposition to not to quit assemblies to “save the democratic system”.

Mr Durrani had been a federal minister during Musharraf regime and is considered close to the establishment. The PML-F is an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-led government.

“During my meeting with Shehbaz, I conveyed an important message of the party chief Syed Sibghatullah Rashidi [Pir of Pagaro] to him. Mr Shehbaz is asked to play his role in stopping the opposition from resigning from the assemblies as the move could wrap up the democratic system. There is a need to initiate a grand dialogue among the national institutions and politicians, make the parliament functional and gather all Muslim Leagues under one platform,” Mr Durrani told Dawn after the meeting.

Mr Durrani said the opposition leader was also conveyed that the “collision course” the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the opposition alliance of 11 parties, was going to adopt would have “serious consequences”.

Tells media institutions, parties need to start a ‘track-II’ dialogue

“There will be no winner in the course of the clash (between the government and opposition),” he said and warned the “fire of resignations is a major threat to democracy and the economy.”

The PDM, formed in September last to oust the government of Imran Khan, has given a Dec 31 deadline to its components to submit their lawmakers’ resignations (to its leadership), which will subsequently be tendered to the respective speakers. The alliance has also asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to step down by Jan 31, otherwise it will announce a long march on Islamabad on Feb I.

Before the PML-F’s initiative, some members of PM Khan’s cabinet had extended the ‘dialogue offer’ to the PDM, which was declined straightaway. Shehbaz Sharif has already called for a ‘national dialogue’ to steer the country out of the present crisis.

Talking to reporters outside Kot Lakhpat jail, Mr Durrani further said: “Pakistan’s institutions and political parties need to start a ‘track-II’ dialogue. The beauty of this [dialogue] is that it is not exposed [to the public] but its results will be exposed. The current situation demands immediate start of ‘track-II’ dialogue.”

He said if need be, he would also visit JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz as well in this regard.

“A grand dialogue will be better for the establishment, the government and the opposition. However, it will be wrong to push anyone to the wall in the name of accountability. If the opposition leaders are arrested, the door for a dialogue will be closed. Leaders in the parliament must be freed,” he suggested and added that a ‘Charter of Democracy’, a ‘Charter of Tolerance’ and a ‘Charter of Parliament’ had now become indispensable.

According to Mr Durrani, during the meeting Mr Shehbaz said he wanted to unite the opposition, as he also “agreed to the proposal of Pir of Pagaro”.

“I cannot play any role as long as I am in jail,” Mr Durrani quoted Shehbaz as having said.

A PML-N insider said Mr Shehbaz had been advocating for a “policy of reconciliation” and holding talks with the government, but in the party his views had been dominated by the “aggressive stance” of deposed premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter and vice president Maryam Nawaz.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2020