Alvi urges political dialogue as country ‘narrowly escapes catastrophe’

President calls upon politicians to get together and lift country out of ‘misery’

President Dr Arif Alvi has raised alarm over the rising political temperature in the country, urging all political leaders to get together and steer the country out of the “misery”.

In a brief statement issued on his official Twitter handle on Saturday, President Alvi said another day “in life of Pakistan has passed without catastrophe”.

Without divulging details, the president described the situation as a “narrow escape”, saying any major accident could have happened today.

“Let all politicians, get together and get my country out of misery,” he added.

Though the president did not name any political leader or refer to any particular situation, his statement came after a tense day which saw surprise search operation by Punjab police at the PTI chief’s Zaman Park residence and intense clashes between PTI workers and police personnel outside the Islamabad judicial complex.

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal on Saturday cancelled the arrest warrants issued against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.

The decision was made after the former prime minister marked his attendance outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex, where he was supposed to be indicted in the case.

Intense clashes broke out between the two sides as Imran's convoy reached the judicial complex ahead of the party chairman's appearance before a district and sessions court in the Toshakhana (gift depository) case.