Civil society calls for APC on political instability

Activists meet PTI chief; say he agreed to confidence-building among parties

LAHORE:

With an aim to avoid political and constitutional breakdown, various civil society, human rights, legal and journalist organisations have joined hands to bring all leading political parties to the table by holding an all-party conference (APC) in order to pave a way forward for free and fair elections in the country.

Various civil society and human rights organisations, bar associations and journalist bodies have teamed up under the banner of ‘The Mediators’, announcing that they would hold an APC in consultation with leaders of different political parties.

A delegation of the civil society organisations on Tuesday called on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan at his Zaman Park residence. Civil society representatives discussed the tense political atmosphere and its repercussion for democracy in Pakistan.

They underscored the need to reduce political temperature and fraction among political parties for free and fair elections and strengthening democracy in the country.

Following the meeting with Imran, veteran journalists and human rights activists Imtiaz Alam and Hussain Naqi told the media that the political situation of the country had reached a critical juncture where there were chances of political or constitutional breakdown.

“During the meeting with Imran Khan, we shared the idea of holding an APC with an aim to reduce political fraction among political parties. We have invited the former premier and extend the invitation to other political leaders to sit together to formulate a mutually agreeable framework for holding free and fair elections in the country,” they highlighted.

Alam said that all political parties, including the PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and others, will be invited to sit together on a single-point agenda to find a way out of the current political crisis and pave way for transparent elections in the country.

In the first phase, he said, a constructive dialogue would be encouraged among all political parties and recommendations of the APC would be provided a legal and constitutional cover through parliament.

He disclosed that the PTI chairman had took their proposal seriously and consented to it with his full cooperation for confidence-building among different political parties. “Some serious questions also came under discussion during the meeting as free and free elections are not possible under the present hostile situation,” he said, adding that the government and administration should avoid making terrorism cases against political leaders and workers.

“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,” he stressed, underscoring the need for addressing the concerns of other political leaders and parties.

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.”

Senior PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Pervaiz Khatak also spoke on the occasion, welcoming the proposal of APC for strengthening democracy.