Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Ruling law makers of PML-N and PPP on Friday suggested for reconcilation to opposition in the upper house of parliament while the PTI’s Ali Zafar lamented the “political victimization” of his party.
The reconcilation demand came during the commencement of discussion on Presidential address to the joint sitting in Senate. Opening the discussion, Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sherry Rehman said President Asif Ali Zardari’s invitation for political reconciliation should be welcomed. She said there is a need to do away with the politics of confrontation and turn a new page in politics in order to steer the country out of challenges.
She welcomed Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz back to the upper house of Parliament. The PPP leader also said that she had not prepared a speech since “speaking from the heart on the first day is a good indicator”. “I think that what President Zardari has said should be welcomed,” Rehman said, referring to the president’s parliamentary address wherein he had called for moving on from the polarisation plaguing domestic politics.
She added that President Zardari had not invited a specific party but had called on all stakeholders to play their role. “The PPP has always given sacrifices but has never considered itself above the country, the state and Pakistan’s pride,” she said. She stressed that instead of repeating old statements made by former premier Imran Khan, politicians would have to “genuinely forge a new beginning and respect each other if we want to turn a new page”.
On allegations of rigging in the February 8 general elections, Rehman quipped, “Which election in Pakistan has been held correctly?” “Countries are not run by just concocting narratives,” Rehman emphasised, adding that she had not “seen such a naazukmor (critical junction) except in 1971”. “Let us turn the page that the president of Pakistan said,” she added.
