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ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday suggested the formation of a \u201cnational government\u201d to build consensus among the country\u2019s political parties.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the NA during a debate on the Iran situation, Achakzai said, \u201cWe should agree on some democratic points at least \u2014 Parliament will be the source of power, supremacy of the Constitution, policies will originate from here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stating that the time had passed when they used to blame each other for mistakes, the opposition leader said, \u201cWe will have to move toward a national government.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will have to agree on some points. We will have to ask the establishment to give some space,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Pointing out a \u201cmost dangerous\u201d concern, Achakzai noted that several key politicians, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, were now of old age.<\/p>\n \u201cGod forbid, if these four to five people are not here anymore, the remaining would not be able to do anything,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n He called for key politicians, including Zardari, Nawaz, Shehbaz and Imran Khan, to come to the table to discuss national issues.<\/p>\n The country, Achakzai said, could only move forward through \u201ccollective wisdom\u201d.<\/p>\n He maintained that the \u201cestablishment\u201d tried to break PTI founder Imran Khan but failed. Achakzai warned of resistance if there was any effort from \u201cwithin the party or the rulers\u201d to sideline Imran.<\/p>\n \u201cDue to our own mistakes, this system is not functional anymore,\u201d claimed Achakzai, also the head of the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP).<\/p>\n \u201cThis system has collapsed; whatever happened after the 2024 elections,\u201d he claimed, referring to the PML-N-led coalition government<\/a> formed after the Feb 8, 2024, general elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n The opposition leader also pointed out the absence of PM Shehbaz from the house. \u201cShehbaz Sharif is not here; otherwise, I would have spoken to him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Lashing out at United States President Donald Trump, Achakzai said one individual wanted to push the entire world into war.<\/p>\n He added that the US trusted Pakistan and it should take advantage of that. The opposition leader further said that Afghanistan had been Pakistan\u2019s ally and would remain so.<\/p>\n Achakzai suggested that there should be no adjournments and the session should be held continuously, with everyone allowed to speak.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, also speaking on the NA floor, PPP\u2019s Sharmila Faruqui decried the recent hikes in petroleum prices.<\/p>\n She said that the briefing<\/a> given by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik before the NA on Monday on the increase in oil prices was not satisfactory and he was \u201cunconvincing\u201d.<\/p>\n Since the February 28 strikes by the US and Israel on Iran triggered the war and pushed up global oil prices, fuel prices in Pakistan have reached record highs.<\/p>\n In two<\/u><\/a> major hikes<\/u><\/a>, petrol prices have risen from Rs266.17 to Rs378<\/u><\/a> \u2014 after a partial reduction<\/u><\/a> in a recent hike \u2014 while those of high-speed diesel have surged from Rs280.86 to Rs520.35.<\/p>\n In her speech, Faruqui claimed Pakistan was the first country in the region to increase oil prices.<\/p>\n The PPP leader referred to recent addresses<\/a> by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the April 2 press conference<\/a> by three ministers on the issue of oil prices, saying they showed a lack of consistency in the government\u2019s policies and decisions.<\/p>\n Faruqui noted that in his speeches, PM Shehbaz kept on insisting that prices would not be raised and their impact would not be transferred to the people, but then ministers held a press conference and suddenly prices were increased twice.<\/p>\n She suggested that the government hire the services of some consultants in order to have consistent policies, highlighting that no one knew how long the economic crisis<\/a> stemming from the Middle East conflict would last.<\/p>\n The PPP MNA noted there was a tax of Rs131 per litre on petrol.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat, after all, is this government\u2019s policy? How does it plan to move forward? The price of diesel is also the highest in the region,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Faruqui added that people were asking them how they were supposed to make ends meet.<\/p>\n She contended that the government talked about motorcyclists only, without realising there were other people being affected too.<\/p>\n The PPP leader remarked that even she hesitated while buying petrol, wondering what the situation would be for ordinary people and those with small vehicles.<\/p>\n The government should reduce the profit margins of petroleum companies and formulate a comprehensive strategy, the PPP lawmaker suggested.<\/p>\n Separately, Javed Hanif of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) demanded that the NA should be given a comprehensive briefing on the possible fallout of the ongoing regional situation so that they can formulate future policies and decisions.<\/p>\n Taking part in the debate, Hanif demanded that Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and a team of security officials should brief the house on the Middle East conflict and its possible implications for Pakistan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>PPP\u2019s Sharmila Faruqui decries fuel price hike<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>MQM-P calls for briefing on regional situation<\/h2>\n