RAWALPINDI: Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider on Saturday said that political stability cannot be achieved through confrontation, asserting that President Asif Ali Zardari is the political figure capable of creating an environment of dialogue and consensus.

The governor said that PTI leader Imran Khan could not be released through street pressure or political confrontation. “The only viable path forward for the country is dialogue,” Governor Saleem Haider said.

He was speaking to the media at a ceremony marking the birth anniversary of Hazrat Ali.

Responding to a question about political unity, Mr Haider said Pakistan was fortunate to have a statesman capable of bringing all political forces to the table. He named President Asif Ali Zardari as the only leader who could facilitate a grand national dialogue to resolve the current political deadlock.

Saleem Haider says Imran Khan cannot be released through street pressure or political agitation

“If Asif Ali Zardari is given space, he can initiate a meaningful dialogue involving all stakeholders,” the Punjab governor said, recalling that despite lacking a clear majority in 2008, the Pakistan Peoples Party completed its five-year term due to the reconciliation policy adopted by Mr Zardari.

He added that the solution to today’s political challenges also lay with President Zardari, but stressed that progress would remain stalled unless political parties demonstrated mutual respect and unity.

Commenting on the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the governor said the provincial government had been entrusted to the chief minister, who should prioritise public welfare over political agitation.

He warned that continued confrontational statements and rhetoric would only widen divisions, undermine political stability, and prove counterproductive. Governor Haider concluded by saying that increased political friction would ultimately harm the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

“I reiterate that negotiation, not escalation, is the only way forward for the country,” he said, adding that this also included religious segments. “Religious harmony and political consensus are the need of the hour for Pakistan,” he added.

He said that the birth anniversary of Hazrat Ali has been celebrated in Rawalpindi for many years, with religious leaders of all mainstream schools of thought actively participating in the programme, reflecting interfaith and sectarian harmony in the region.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2026