ISLAMABAD: Senior politician and former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Wednesday proposed dialogue framework for political reconciliation, calling for immediate, structured dialogue to help steer the country out of its political and economic crises.
Speaking at the National Conference on Political Reconciliation organized by the National Dialogue Committee in Islamabad, Durrani said separate dialogue committees should be formed by the government and the opposition.
Meaningful negotiations could only succeed through direct engagement with political prisoners, he said.
He proposed that President Asif Ali Zardari lead the negotiation process, with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Muhammad Nawaz Sharif providing full backing to ensure broad political consensus.
As a key confidence-building measure, Durrani suggested the appointment of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) governor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Durrani underlined the need for political clarity, saying the distinction between the government and the opposition must be clear.
He said that the dialogue among politicians was the only viable route to resolving Pakistan’s political deadlock.
He urged both sides not to use the Pakistan Armed Forces for political purposes, saying the military belongs to the entire nation and not to any single party.
“Creating any other impression was against the interests of the state and patriotism,” he said.
On economy, Durrani said political reconciliation was essential for economic recovery.
He suggested that the opposition constitute a committee of economic experts, headed by former finance minister Miftah Ismail, to independently evaluate the government’s economic performance.
He praised the National Dialogue Committee for initiating the process and stressed that political dialogue should not be portrayed as blackmail or a deal, but as a democratic exercise aimed at finding sustainable solutions and strengthening democracy.
Referring to recent developments, Durrani said decisions by the Punjab and Sindh governments to allow the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to visit were positive confidence-building steps.
He also called for the appointment of opposition leaders in both the National Assembly and the Senate and demanded the lifting of restrictions on political activity and the media.
