Saad Rafique urges Nawaz Sharif to rise to the occasion; play a role in initiating a dialogue
The leader of the PML-N, Khawaja Saad Rafique. Photo: Express
LAHORE:
PML-N leaders, both inside and outside the corridors of power, agreed on the need for a new Charter of Democracy to dilute political animosity in the country.
There was also a call on PML-N President Nawaz Sharif to rise to the occasion and play his role in initiating a process of dialogue among all stakeholders.
These ideas were expressed at a ceremony organized to mark the death anniversary of late Khawaja Muhammad Rafique, the father of PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique.
Besides Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Prime Minister’s Advisor Rana Sanaullah and Saad Rafique, and Salman Rafique, speakers included politician Mohsin Dawar, JI leader Liaqat Baloch, former PML-N leader Zaeem Qadri and journalists Hamid Mir and Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami.
Despite the nature of the rally, the majority of speeches revolved around political instability, the need to return to democratic principles and, in general, the PTI.
The most impactful speeches were delivered by Mohsin Dawar and veteran journalist Hamid Mir, with the former questioning the effectiveness of the system governing the federating units within the constitutional scheme, while the latter reminded the audience how Khawaja Muhammad Rafique had fought valiantly against the then Field Marshal Ayub Khan for democracy.
Azam Nazir Tarar said there was an urgent need to find a way out of the shifting sands of political extremism through dialogue. He said a national dialogue was needed at present to achieve political and financial stability in the country, adding that without political stability, no country could progress.
He said Pakistan needed a political charter and stressed the importance of leaving behind a better Pakistan for future generations. In what may seem ironic, he said the way forward was to accept criticism with courage and patience.
Tarar left just seconds before Mohsin Dawar began his speech, as he had to attend a nikah ceremony.
Dawar said fascism did not end after partition. He said that the struggle of Khawaja Muhammad Rafique was the same as the struggle of today’s politicians, who were fighting for democratic principles.
“We are free only on paper,” he said, adding that democracy standard-bearer Ali Wazir and human rights activist Mahrang Baloch, who raised the issue of enforced disappearances, were both behind bars.
He said sedition charges were leveled against them simply for reminding the government that using the Taliban as proxies in Afghanistan would prove to be a counterproductive policy, which continues to haunt Pakistan to this day.
He said small federated units were finding it increasingly difficult to operate within the existing constitutional system, questioning whether democracy actually existed within that system.
He also demanded that the Senate be made more functional and powerful, along the lines of the National Assembly, and claimed that its election results were altered through Form 47.
Rana Sanaullah said infighting and chaos were hampering growth, but argued that people should openly recognize who avoids dialogue.
Defending the government, he said the Shehbaz Sharif-led government had repeatedly approached the opposition with various offers, but each time these were rejected by the PTI as its founder did not want stability in the country.
He said that after the no-confidence motion, the PML-N had twice wanted to hold early elections, but each time Imran Khan reneged on his commitments, forcing the PML-N government to change its plans.
He said Imran Khan himself found himself in a bind on May 9, wondering if there was any justification for what had happened.
He said that it was this chaos that Imran Khan wanted to create in Pakistan and hence certain limits were placed on meetings with him.
He said political forces were currently on a collision course, which would only further aggravate the situation.
Responding to allegations regarding the February 8, 2024 elections, raised even during the event by the PML-N’s own leaders, he questioned whether the July 25, 2018 elections were fair when, he said, the PML-N’s mandate was stolen.
Rana Sanaullah said that Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, despite expressing disappointment over allegations of electoral fraud, had extended his greetings to the government and proposed an Economy Charter to the Imran Khan-led government, and a similar spirit had been demonstrated by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“What Imran Khan did subsequently is a matter of public knowledge,” he added.
He also dismissed claims that the prime minister did not have permission to engage in dialogue, saying all offers made by the government were presented in the presence of relevant stakeholders, implying that the military establishment was not obstructing any possible negotiations.
Khawaja Saad Rafique urged PML-N President Nawaz Sharif to rise to the occasion and play his role in initiating a process of dialogue among all stakeholders.
