MULTAN, Feb 20: Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the nation does not need graduates but honest leadership to drive the country out of present crisis.

Addressing a public gathering here on Sunday, Mr Qureshi said the government was trying to pose that it was very strong but internally it was too fragile.

He said the position of the government was weakening by the day and its 'enemies' were ready to exploit the situation.

The former foreign minister said that there was a relation of respect between him and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani and that this relation would continue.

He said he had never been involved in corruption as his name was also not included in any loan write-off cases being heard by the Supreme Court.

Mr Qureshi said the nation was facing multiple challenges while over 10,000 people had so far become victims of terrorism. He said the Seraiki region had always been deprived of its rights and the time had come to get united and fight for its rights.

He said that he had been in the field of politics for 28 years and witnessed many ups and downs, but it was time to choose the 'right path' for the betterment of the nation.

The former foreign minister said that he was not afraid of criticism as this was the beauty of democracy.

Opinion

Editorial

A new war
Updated 01 Mar, 2026

A new war

UNLESS there is an immediate diplomatic breakthrough, the joint Israeli-American aggression against Iran launched on...
Breaking the cycle
01 Mar, 2026

Breaking the cycle

THE confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan has taken a dangerous turn. Attacks, retaliatory strikes and the...
Anonymous collections
01 Mar, 2026

Anonymous collections

THE widespread emergence of ‘nameless donation boxes’ soliciting charity in cities and towns across Punjab...
Afghan hostilities
Updated 28 Feb, 2026

Afghan hostilities

The need is for an immediate ceasefire and substantive negotiations, with the onus on the Taliban to rein in cross-border attacks.
Cutting taxes
28 Feb, 2026

Cutting taxes

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s plan to cut direct taxes for businesses in the next budget acknowledges the strain...
KCR challenge
28 Feb, 2026

KCR challenge

THE Karachi Circular Railway is being discussed again. It seems that the project, or, rather, the hopes of it, are...