Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, party commander of the Awam Pakistan party, expressed deep concern about the deterioration of the state of Karachi during an interactive session at the Business Administration Institute (IBA) in Karachi on Wednesday.
Addressing the media and students representatives, Abbasi has criticized the Pakistani peoples (PPP) party for having omitted to solve basic civic problems despite the power of the Sindh in the past 17 years.
“After almost two decades of power, the PPP has not yet addressed fundamental problems such as access to drinking water. You have to get out of the city center to really understand how private Karachi is,” said Abbasi.
The event presented a special question-answer session with students who have engaged with the former Prime Minister on subjects ranging from governance and political reform to the future management of Pakistan.
During the session, Abbasi raised concerns about the new Rivière Indus channel project. “This is not a new problem. I visited Sukkur in November, and people were already worried. The federal government failed to clarify how these channels will affect the share of Sindh water,” he said.
He also criticized the federal and provincial governments for their inaction and their lack of transparency, adding that the public remains anxious while the media remain largely silent. “The PPP is now part of the federal government; they cannot dissociate themselves from these questions,” he added.
Appeal to responsibility, he asked that the Common Interest Board (CCI) be summoned immediately to openly tackle these questions. “The more we delay, the more confidence we lose between the provinces. This lack of clarity is dangerous for national unity. ”
Speaking on regional tensions, the former Prime Minister condemned the recurring strategy of India aimed at blaming Pakistan so that terrorist incidents acquire a political advantage, saying that such tactics are only used to hide deeper questions.
Referring to a recent tragic event in Jammu and Kashmir (Iiojk), an Indian illegal, “said:” More than 26 lives have been lost. No one should be allowed to attack unarmed civilians. “
Abbasi also underlined the challenges of internal security in Pakistan and spoke of the continuous issue of missing people. “To date, the Commission has not documented these people, and the government continues to hide the truth. We owe the nation to highlight the facts. ”
On the economy, he criticized the government’s treatment of inflation and agricultural policy. “The farmer suffers. The wheat supply was poorly managed, the prices going from RS2200 to RS4000 by MAnd. If the farmer fails, the economy fails. “
He also underlined the lack of transparency in the governance of the public sector, saying that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) did not hold the truly responsible politicians and bureaucrats. “After 25 years, Nab always gives the impression that each politician is innocent. We must ask ourselves how civil servants allow their lifestyles. ”
By approaching electricity shortages and infrastructure gaps in Karachi, Abbasi said: “It is a city where electricity consumption culminates between 1 and 5 am. Until Karachi develops, the country cannot progress. ”
He argued that significant reforms of the three main political parties in Pakistan could stimulate national progress, but deplore their inability to solve the real problems of the public. “Today, almost all opposition parties have a certain level of governance, but none appeared as a model.”
With regard to democratic values, Abbasi highlighted the need for open political dialogue between politicians and the establishment. “We still cannot adopt democratic standards. National questions must be discussed transparently with the public, not in camera. ”
He concluded by recalling the troubled electoral history of Pakistan. “We have seen the country separate because the results of the elections were rejected. Each election was spoiled by manipulation. I challenged ten elections – both never moved away. ”
Calling responsible leadership, he urged ministers to take the initiative rather than counting only on the Prime Minister of Problems. “Good governance means assuming responsibility at all levels,” he added.
