Raja Nasir Abbas proposes a national government for consensus

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, on Saturday proposed the formation of a national government to lift the country out of the current difficulties and build a broader national consensus.

Speaking to a private television channel, he said the opposition had held talks with the ruling authorities and added that Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai had also written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after he expressed his willingness to hold unconditional dialogue.

However, he noted that no meeting has been held so far.

Abbas said the establishment of a national government was the best way to save Pakistan’s sinking ship. “Mahmood Khan Achakzai had told them that all parties should sit together and agree on some points; then we will consult Imran Khan and together we will take the country out of the crisis.”

He said the opposition had proposed that Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami and other parties meet to reach a consensus on constitutional supremacy.

This, he said, should include an agreement on the people being the ultimate source of power, the holding of free and fair elections, the transfer of power to the winner of the elections, the protection of fundamental rights, the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

Read: TTAP criticizes government policies, demands elections and medical care for Imran Khan

Responding to a question about the government’s reaction, Abbas said both sides wanted to find a middle ground, adding that “this burden cannot be borne any longer.”

He said a party meeting had been called for Monday to decide the future course of action. “There is a simple way to solve this problem: a step through which the entire country can emerge from the crisis without any damage,” he said, adding that the path suggested by Achakzai must be followed so that Imran can also be released and the country can move forward.

Achakzai, who is also the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, has been advocating for some time to form a national government, considering it the only way forward.

Earlier this week, while speaking at a public meeting in Pishin, he suggested that in view of the regional situation arising from the Iran-US-Israel conflict, all political parties in Pakistan should come together to form a national government for one or two years to address the worsening situation.

Read also: Opposition bloc accepts conditional talks with government

He also proposed that, after the formation of such a system, an independent and sovereign electoral commission be established to carry out free and fair elections under international guarantees, highlighting that true democracy, constitutional supremacy and parliamentary sovereignty were essential to resolve the country’s crises.

Relations between the opposition and the government remain tense despite several attempts at negotiation in recent months.

Last month, the government extended a new offer for talks, with Senator Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister’s aide, saying he was willing to engage in dialogue to strengthen democracy and avoid confrontation and stalemate.

The opposition alliance responded positively but with conditions; however, no progress has been made since then.