Lahore – As the political crisis intensifies between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has urged for a national dialogue to resolve the ongoing turmoil. PTI convoys, initially from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and now in Punjab, are heading towards Islamabad, demanding the release of party founder Imran Khan and other political reforms.
The government has responded by setting up containers around the capital to block the protests, causing widespread disruptions not only in Islamabad and Rawalpindi but across other cities in Punjab as well.
In a statement, JI senior leader Liaqat Baloch expressed concern that the persistent political instability is causing people to turn away from politics. He criticized both the ruling coalition government and opposition parties for their ineffective approaches to governance and protest politics, which have eroded public trust.
Baloch pointed out that the ongoing protests are worsening the country’s economic difficulties. Instead of merely blaming the opposition for the economic damage, he stressed that the government must focus on finding political solutions to bring an end to the crisis.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb also revealed that the country is losing approximately Rs190 billion daily due to road closures and shutdowns caused by the opposition’s protests.
Addressing the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baloch urged the provincial government to take immediate steps to ensure lasting peace in Parachinar, especially in light of the recent surge in violence. Kurram district, which has been witnessing deadly tribal clashes for months, saw renewed violence last week, with gunmen attacking civilian convoys, leaving at least 44 people dead and many others injured. So far, over 70 people have lost their lives in this wave of violence.
