Maryam Nawaz Should Resign Today and Contest Election from Lahore, Says Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has challenged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to resign from her office and contest an election from Lahore, saying she should prove her political strength at the ballot box.

“Let Maryam Nawaz resign today and contest an election from Lahore. If she does not lose her security deposit, then we will see,” he remarked.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Fawad Chaudhry stressed the need for a national government and comprehensive dialogue among all political parties to address the country’s political and economic crises. He announced that his group had decided to approach all political parties for negotiations.

He said political stability had become a distant dream in Pakistan, adding that the situation had reached a point where nobody knew who was actually running the country.

He maintained that urgent improvements were needed in two key sectors — the economy and governance. Pakistan required a new Charter of Democracy and a revised framework for governance, he said, adding that setting aside political differences and forming a national government had become an essential requirement.

Criticising the ruling coalition, Fawad alleged that the Sharif and Zardari families had reached an understanding based on the principle of “you take this side and we will take the other”.

He also said the creation of new provinces was inevitable and that a decision had already been made in principle. The only remaining question, he said, was the framework under which the new provinces would be established. He warned that once Senate elections took place, constitutional complications could make the creation of new provinces impossible.

Discussing economic management, the former minister said traditional political parties lacked the capacity to take tough decisions required to improve the economy. He argued that these parties would never introduce major measures such as a cashless economy or the withdrawal of Rs5,000 currency notes because the personal and political interests of their leaders stood in the way.

Fawad announced that the National Dialogue Committee had decided to hold formal meetings with all political parties to discuss key national issues, particularly economic stability and the creation of new provinces.

Referring to recent developments involving Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), he said political bitterness and tensions in the country were increasing sharply. He stressed that only comprehensive political negotiations could reduce the growing hostility.

The former minister also criticised the current central leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claiming that those presently leading the party had no connection with its ideology and describing them as a group of “daily wagers”.

Questioning the political association of Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas with PTI founder Imran Khan, he said party leaders who had made genuine sacrifices, particularly those imprisoned at Kot Lakhpat Jail, should be taken into confidence on all major decisions.