RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has expressed willingness to work with the opposition on national issues, but ruled out a grand alliance with the PTI.

Talking to reporters on Friday after a meeting of his Awam Pakistan Party’s (APP) women wing, Mr Abbasi said he had never talked about a grand alliance.

“We just want the opposition to move forward by creating a consensus. The reservations of JUI-F and PTI need to be removed, while PTI has to change its thinking,” the former PM added.

Mr Abbasi also criticised the government for not reducing the prices of petroleum products after the dip in the international market, and instead decided to use the additional revenue for road projects in Balochistan.

Says Imran’s party has to ‘change its thinking’; flays govt for not cutting petrol price

He said Baloch are not demanding roads but want the government to resolve the issue of missing persons.

The youth of Balochistan were “disappointed” and their voices were not heard; the problems faced by Pakistan and Balochistan cannot be solved.

“There is a sense of deprivation in Balochistan. Until there is a rule of law, the country cannot progress.”

He said the decision not to reduce the price of petrol was also misconceived.

The government claimed that prices have not been cut so that electricity could be made cheaper, Mr Abbasi said, and asked if petrol became expensive in the international market in coming days, then how will the government make electricity cheaper?

He called for “good economic policies” to give people some relief from inflation.

Talking about the issue of new canals, Mr Abbasi said the government should tell facts to people.

While appreciating plans to build new canals, Mr Abbasi said water availability for them would remain a challenge as water in rivers was “gradually decreasing”.

“There is an atmosphere of unrest in Sindh. To avoid chaos, people should be informed about facts,” he said, while referring to widespread protests in Sindh over the canals issue.

The former PM also said that minerals were provincial subject and the federal government wants to “take it away” by making its own policy.

Earlier, while addressing the meeting of APP’s women wing, Mr Abbasi said “effective political representation” was a must for development and the supremacy of the Constitution.

Mr Abbasi added that women can play a role in providing effective representation to the people of Pakistan.

He said the political system would be further strengthened through women’s representation in political parties.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2025