Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Criticizes Government’s Move to Amend Constitution, Calls for Unity

Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has accused the government of attempting to amend the constitution for its own benefit, and said that both the ruling and opposition parties are deceiving the public under the guise of dialogue.

Speaking at a seminar organized by PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency), Abbasi stated that the government’s attitude towards the stability of parliament is not serious. He emphasized that powerful sectors of society must be made to abide by the constitution.

Abbasi also discussed Pakistan’s foreign relations, saying that no country, including China, has ever pressured Pakistan during economic agreements. He added that no Pakistani government has ever firmly rejected the US, referring to the absence of an “absolutely not” response to American demands.

During the seminar, former federal minister Fawad Hassan Fawad pointed out the absurdity of the privatization committee’s chairman being the foreign minister. He highlighted the necessity of privatizing institutions like PIA and DISCOs but criticized the government for mishandling the issue.

Another former federal minister, Khurram Dastgir Khan, credited the country’s politicians for Pakistan’s economic policies during the 1990s and for bringing the country back on track between 2014 and 2017.

In his speech, PILDAT leader Mehboob Bilal and other participants emphasized that a strong economy is essential for the progress of both politics and the state. They urged all sectors of society to put aside their differences to help move Pakistan forward.