[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]On the one-year anniversary of the federal coalition taking power, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that the post-April 2022 political era will be one of “reconciliation and cooperation, rather than confrontation and vendetta.”
Holding out an olive branch to the PTI, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday (Monday) to begin ‘unconditional’ talks with the opposition, stating that “the door for talks should never be closed in politics.”
“The prime minister has the authority to initiate talks. I will request PM Shehbaz Sharif to hold talks with the opposition,” Zardari said while addressing a joint session of parliament on Monday.
The co-chairman of the PPP, who served as the country’s 11th president from 2008 to 2013, also advised the PTI not to set any preconditions for talks.
Zardari’s offer came after PTI senior leader Fawad Fawad Chaudhry praised the PPP for passing a resolution declaring that it did not want to be a part of the campaign to discredit judges and claiming that political parties did not obstruct negotiations.
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The remarks also come as the country’s top institutions face political, economic, and constitutional crises, all of which raise the prospect of instability.
The federal government is seriously considering PTI leaders’ desire to begin negotiations on national issues, particularly the conduct of general elections.
Notably, there is bad blood between the government and the PTI, but things only got worse after Imran Khan was deposed last April.
PM Shehbaz’s year in office
Marking a year since he took oath as the premier, the premier reflected on the developments and achievements of his government in a series of tweets.
Today marks the completion of one year since I took oath as PM of a coalition government. This has been a time of massive challenges & difficulties. Here's my perspective on this year: 1/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“This has been a time of massive challenges and difficulties,” he admitted as he celebrated the passage of the vote of no-confidence against Imran’s government as “unprecedented”.
The passage of No-Confidence Vote against Imran Niazi's government was unprecedented not because PDM came into power but because almost all of Pakistan's political forces came together to use the forum of Parliament to vote out an unpopular govt through constitutional means. 2/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
He maintained that the decision was significant “not because the PDM came to power, but because almost all of Pakistan’s political forces came together to use the forum of Parliament to vote out an unpopular government through constitutional means.”
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“The alliance of political parties with disparate platforms for a common national cause represents a significant step forward in the country’s political evolution,” he said.
The coming together of political parties with different manifestos for a common national cause represents a major step forward in the country's political evolution. Reconciliation & cooperation, not confrontation & vendetta mark the new politics post-April '22. 3/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“Reconciliation and cooperation, not confrontation and vendetta mark the new politics post-April ’22,” said Shehbaz.
In the same breath, however, PM Shehbaz took a dig at Imran’s previous government and its economic policies.
Despite the economic landmines laid by IK & disruptions in global fuel and food supply lines, Pakistan's economy has continued to stay afloat. All predictions of default have turned out to be false alarms. Sincere efforts are underway to revive the economy. 4/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“Despite the economic landmines laid by Imran Khan and disruptions in global fuel and food supply lines, Pakistan’s economy has continued to stay afloat,” he said highlighting that “all predictions of default have turned out to be false alarms.”
“Sincere efforts are underway to revive the economy,” the PM assured.
Coalition govt has been at pains to repair, rebuild & deepen Pakistan's diplomatic relations that were dealt a severe blow by Niazi regime. I can inform people that over the last one year, we have largely succeeded in establishing Pakistan's credibility as a partner & friend. 5/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
Continuing his attack on the previous government, PM Shehbaz said that the “coalition government has been at pains to repair, rebuild and deepen Pakistan’s diplomatic relations that were dealt a severe blow by the Niazi [PTI] regime.”
“I can inform people that over the last one year, we have largely succeeded in establishing Pakistan’s credibility as a partner and friend,” he said.
Pakistan faced unprecedented floods last year. The decisiveness with which the government undertook rescue, relief & rehabilitation efforts, provided social protection to millions of people & mobilized international community has been acknowledged by the world as outstanding. 6/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
The premier also noted that the devastation caused by the “unprecedented floods” the country saw last year was controlled primarily due to the efforts of his government.
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“The decisiveness with which the government undertook rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts, provided social protection to millions of people and mobilised the international community has been acknowledged by the world as outstanding.
“The government employed climate diplomacy to present Pakistan’s case on the international stage,” he said.
Government employed climate diplomacy to present Pakistan's case on the international stage. As Chair of G77 plus China, we were instrumental in the establishment of loss & damage fund. Pledges of USD 9 billion at Geneva moot are evidence of our successful diplomacy. 7/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“As Chair of G77 plus China, we were instrumental in the establishment of the loss and damage fund. Pledges of $9 billion at the Geneva moot are evidence of our successful diplomacy.
“In the last one year, we have made efforts to diversify the energy mix with an aim to provide relief to the citizens.
In the last one year, we have made efforts to diversify the energy mix with an aim to provide relief to the citizens. The renewed focus on solar, hydel, and coal power projects is aimed at replacing the costlier sources of power generation with cheaper ones. 8/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“The renewed focus on solar, hydel, and coal power projects is aimed at replacing the costlier sources of power generation with cheaper ones,” he said.
He also said that “inflation has hit people hard globally”.
He drew attention to the shifts in “geo-strategic rivalries, increase in prices of fuel and food commodities” as well as the “historic floods” faced by the country as some of the key factors responsible for the spike in inflation.
Inflation has hit people hard globally. Geo-strategic rivalries, increase in prices of the fuel & food commodities & historic floods are some of the key factors responsible for inflation. Mindful of its impact, govt has expanded social safety net & provided targeted subsidies 9/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“Mindful of its impact, the government has expanded the social safety net and provided targeted subsidies,” he maintained.
PM Shehbaz also took the opportunity to grant credit to the country’s military leadership alongside ministerial efforts in helping push Pakistan off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) watchlist as a major feat.
Under the watch of the PDM government, Pakistan managed to exit the FATF grey list, thanks to the excellent inter-ministerial coordination as well as support extended by our military leadership. It was a long journey but sustained efforts made it possible. 10/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
“Under the watch of the PDM government, Pakistan managed to exit the FATF grey list, thanks to the excellent inter-ministerial coordination as well as support extended by our military leadership.
“It was a long journey but sustained efforts made it possible,” he said.
Building on the public transport infrastructure, govt., since its inception in April last year, focused on early completion of the development and transport infrastructure projects in Islamabad. Idea was to provide ease, comfort & affordable mobility to the people 🇵🇰. n/n
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 11, 2023
Finally, the Prime Minister stated that the government has shared a commitment to building infrastructure and improving public transportation since its inception.
“The idea was to provide ease, comfort and affordable mobility to the people of Pakistan,” he said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
