RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister and Central Convener of the Awam Pakistan Party (APP), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, on Friday said that the only solution to the country’s problems is to act in accordance with the Constitution.

“We did not follow the Constitution, and it created a mess. The governments failed to deliver. There is no rule of law, and without the supremacy of the Constitution, the country can never make progress,” he said while talking to reporters on the occasion of the first foundation day of his party.

The former premier said that elections should be held in a fair, free and transparent manner, and the opinion of the people should be respected. He added that if people are given the right to elect their representatives without any hurdles, the government would be able to deliver.

In response to a question, he said, “Our party has no connection with anyone, nor will we join any other party. Everyone is afraid of us because we talk about the Constitution.”

He emphasised that as long as there is no rule of law, the country will not progress.

“Whatever amendments the government makes will not matter unless it pays attention to the prosperity of the people,” he added.

He said development projects are being carried out using public funds, and the government should stop corruption, which is widespread across institutions.

“The deterioration in education, health, police, administration and development institutions in the provinces has further increased,” he said.

Mr Abbasi criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), saying this was the PTI’s third government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the PPP has been in power in Sindh for seventeen years.

“Their performance is visible to everyone. Forty per cent of Karachi’s population is deprived of water. PTI is still busy protesting,” he remarked.

“If you want to protest, there should be a purpose. If the purpose is to get Imran Khan out of jail, then such a purpose has never existed before,” he added.

He said politicians have lost their moral and parliamentary values and stressed that political leaders should end hostility and think in the interest of the country. “Today, the country needs to end this hypocrisy. It should be based on the Charter of Democracy that both the PPP and PML-N signed,” he said.

On the occasion of the first foundation day of the APP, Mr Abbasi was accompanied by Chaudhry Inaam Zafar, Usman Abbasi, Nazir Kashmiri, Samina Shoaib, Azhar Ali Qadri and a large number of party workers.

A cake was cut, and collective prayers were offered for the development of the country and the nation.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that APP workers are present in every corner of the country. “Many people are joining the party. This trend is continuing rapidly,” he said.

He termed his party a ray of hope for the youth. “Our mission is the welfare of Pakistan. We will form more committees at the district and city levels. The purpose of politics is not to gain power.

The political leadership has talked about its own welfare instead of the people’s. In the last eight years, the country has become poorer. About 40 million people in the country are below the poverty line,“ he said.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2025