PTI accepts civil society’s offer to hold APC

Aim behind move is to end political instability by holding elections


Imran Adnan March 21, 2023
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry is addressing the media on November 28. SCREENGRAB

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has accepted a proposal from civil society organisations to hold an All Parties Conference (APC) in an attempt to break the ongoing political deadlock over the next general elections in the country.

Addressing the media in Lahore on Tuesday, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the representatives of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Lahore High Court Bar Association, and senior journalists initiated the move to evolve consensus between the opposition and government regarding the next general elections.

“Imran Khan and PTI have agreed to their proposal. We are grateful to them for coming here. Their proposal to hold dialogue and move towards elections is very important. We fully support this,” Fawad said.

During the meeting, Fawad highlighted that he raised the issue of alleged crackdown on their party workers and leaders by the incumbent PDM government, saying that they wanted these arrests to be stopped immediately before they engaged in dialogue.

Read PBC ‘ready’ to call APC to end elections impasse

Human rights activist and veteran journalist Imtiaz Alam supported Fawad, saying: “Section 144 should not be misused to register cases against any political leader or worker. There should be no threat to the life of any political leader and apprehensions of the PTI chairman about threat to his life should be addressed.”

Alam said civil society strongly condemned exclusion of any political leader from elections and political process by political, administrative or other measures. “We appeal to all political parties, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others, to support the APC initiative for strengthening democracy in the country. There should be no bar on human rights, freedom of expression and right to vote in the country. It is beneficial for all political parties,” he stressed.

Being a human rights worker and journalist, Hussain Naqi said, “I believe it is of prime importance that all political parties, including the PTI, should have complete freedom to participate in politics. It is very unfortunate that we are hearing that once again the life of a political leader is under threat. Law enforcing agencies and army should probe this matter and whoever is responsible should be arrested and punished.”

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