ISLAMABAD : Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, asserted on Friday that engaging in dialogue should not be mistaken for weakness, warning that the country’s political crisis is intensifying by the day.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the opposition parties’ parliamentary group, Raja Nasir Abbas said the government has placed an unbearable burden on the people, adding that “the country is not running” under the current circumstances.
“The purpose of talks is to bring the country back on track,” he said, emphasizing that the supremacy of the Constitution must prevail in Pakistan.
The opposition leader called for the immediate release of what he termed “political prisoners,” insisting they are all innocent. “Can’t you have differences of opinion in Pakistan?” he asked.
Raja Nasir Abbas lamented the state of political discourse in the country. “We have the Quran, our religion, our saints and spiritual guides — but there are no leaders,” he said. “Here, a person cannot even speak.”
He argued that dialogue is essential if the country is to be run effectively, calling it the “biggest responsibility of the government.”
The Senate opposition leader also challenged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directly. “The Prime Minister should come to the opposition’s chamber,” he said. “Is it not the Prime Minister’s responsibility to pull the country out of crisis?”
“We want talks for the country,” Raja Nasir Abbas reiterated, “but they should be held with respect.”
His remarks come as Pakistan continues to grapple with political uncertainty, with opposition parties stepping up pressure on the government over economic hardships, rising inflation, and what they describe as a shrinking space for dissent.
