Pakistan govt, opposition hint at dialogue in rare cordial parliament session

The atmosphere in Pakistan’s National Assembly – the lower house of parliament – turned unexpectedly pleasant on Tuesday, as both government and opposition members signaled a readiness to engage in political dialogue.

The session, presided over by PPP's Qadir Patel, featured a speech by Sher Afzal Marwat, an MNA from jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PTI party, urging both sides to move forward by "forgetting bitterness." His remarks, highlighting the house as perpetually locked in conflict, received rare bipartisan agreement.

"Media talks about dialogue, but we fail to initiate it here," Marwat said. He urged the formation of a committee to resolve political disputes, including Terms of Reference (TORs) for dialogue. "People sent us here to understand their problems, not to fight," he added.

Marwat asked Prime Minister's Advisor Rana Sanaullah if the government would officially commit to dialogue, including potential talks involving the establishment.

Rana Sanaullah welcomed Marwat’s tone and called it "positive," referencing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s earlier offer for talks. "It’s unfortunate that lives were lost at D-Chowk, but this system cannot function without political dialogue," Sanaullah said. He advised PTI to formalize its committee for talks, reaffirming the government’s willingness to sit together.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif echoed this sentiment, describing Marwat’s speech as "a breath of fresh air." He stressed that while both sides need to move forward, the opposition must also moderate its tone. "Applause takes both hands," he remarked, urging PTI to acknowledge its mistakes.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar took a harder stance, recalling the past treatment of opposition leaders during PTI’s government. "Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif’s invitations for talks were dismissed as weakness," Tarar said. He noted that despite past grievances, the economy remains the government’s focus.

PTI’s Shahryar Afridi and Ali Muhammad Khan supported the call for dialogue but criticized the political hypocrisy. Afridi questioned why politicians fail to address pressing issues like security at the Durand Line and in Parachinar, saying, "We gossip and attend each other’s weddings but forget the people’s problems."

Ali Muhammad Khan called for an end to hypocrisy and urged politicians to prioritize the nation. "Quaid-e-Azam won this country through dialogue, not conflict," he said. "Even if we win against each other, whom do we truly defeat?"

The rare conciliatory tone suggested a possible thaw in relations between the government and PTI, with members from both sides expressing hope that political leaders will now focus on the public’s issues rather than prolonging divisions.