Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has warned that protests and long marches can disrupt Pakistan’s economic recovery, urging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to end its march on Islamabad and resolve political disputes through dialogue.
Addressing a ceremony at Kashmir Chowk underpass in Islamabad on Tuesday, Shehbaz criticised the return of street protests, saying that the government had made efforts to engage the PTI leadership and end political confrontation.
“Unfortunately, once again the dreadful shadows of sit-ins and long marches are appearing,” the prime minister remarked.
He recalled that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had formed a joint committee, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, to negotiate with the PTI.
“The joint committee of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz held day-and-night negotiations with the PTI under the chairmanship of the honourable speaker,” Shehbaz noted.
“We had hoped that the negotiations will produce positive results, but unfortunately that did not happen,” he added.
The prime minister accused PTI of seeking changes to matters that had already been agreed upon and attempting to prevent the negotiations from succeeding.
Turning to the economic impact of political unrest, Shehbaz warned that protests and long marches can create obstacles for exports, imports and manufacturing.
“We collectively improved the economy in 2.5 years and reached macroeconomic stability. Now is the time for it to flourish,” he stressed.
“In September, our information technology exports, remittances and the country’s production improved,” Shehbaz pointed out before warning that if someone harms it, “Is it not equivalent to being an enemy of the country?”
Shehbaz stressed that the government will not allow the economy to be damaged or people’s lives to be put at risk.
“The law will take its course,” he warned.
The PTI has continued its march towards Islamabad despite warnings from the federal government that gatherings in the capital will be prevented.
The protest is seeking the release of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
