Abbasi finds 'national dialogue' only way to resolve crises

Abbasi suggested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to announce a national dialogue.

(Web Desk) – Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that a “national dialogue” is the only way to pull the country out of myriad of crises.

During an interview with a news channel on Wednesday night, he suggested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to announce a national dialogue stressing that it was his responsibility.

Former prime minister Abbasi gave national dialogue priority over holding elections saying that elections would not solve crises being faced by the country.

It is up to the leadership to prioritize issues, he added.

When asked whether the PML-N would take initiative on holding a national dialogue, Abbasi said he was not the party’s spokesperson. If someone has any other suggestion, he must put it forward.

“I believe this is the only way [forward]. There is no other solution to the crises,” he stressed.

“Does any political party have the capacity [to solve the country’s problems on its own]? In the past one-and-a-half year, has any political party talked about the country’s problems?” he questioned.

“We abused each other, put each other in jails, insulted each other, we paralysed parliament and made it a place where expletives [are exchanged]. But none of us spoke about the country’s problems,” he lamented.

Abbasi is the second PML-N leader who has favoured national dialogue after the PPP put forward a suggestion to engage PTI last week. However, the PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had rejected the idea of having a dialogue with Imran Khan-led party.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed asserted that they (ruling alliance) should talk to the PTI but Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah opposed the idea.