There is a growing consensus of opinion in the country that the only way out of the current political turmoil is to hold an all parties dialogue to hammer out an agreed formula to put the country on the road to stability. The need for a negotiated settlement has come into sharp focus especially in the wake of the PTI’s D Chowk dharna which led to violence and loss of several lives.

Several attempts have been made over the past few months to bring the ruling party and the opposition to the negotiating table but they proved fruitless. The latest move in this connection has come from the PPP which has formed a Rabita committee to engage with other parties to identify areas where political consensus can be achieved. This initiative follows PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s call last week for a dialogue to restore political stability in the wake of the PTI’s recent protest, which has cast a long shadow over the country’s political landscape, with accusations and counter-accusations flying thick and fast all around. Encouragingly, Bilawal Bhutto opposed any move to ban political parties and the imposition of governor’s rule in provinces.

A similar call has come from the PTI’s incarcerated vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who has asked the government to create a conducive environment for talks with his party. Talking to the media in Lahore, he said a favourable response from the government can pave the way for dialogue with the PTI. He reiterated the demand put forward by PTI founder Imran Khan for a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and punish only those involved in violence. Mr Qureshi said the current leadership was incapable of dealing with the challenges being faced by Pakistan. The federal coalition government had failed to provide the leadership that could pull the country out of the political and economic mess. He also called for national reconciliation and consensus to achieve political stability, and urged the authorities to allow him a meeting with party founder Imran Khan so that he could share his perspective on the matter.

In this context, another statement has come from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who a few days ago offered the government an opportunity to resolve the current political turmoil and said that ‘there is still time’ for matters to be settled amicably through continued dialogue. In an interview to a local news channel, Gohar stated, “We had established some initial contacts,” and said the discussions aimed to settle the political disputes between the government and the PTI.

His comments came in response to speculations about a possible “deal” between the two sides, with some government sources hinting that progress was made towards resolving key issues, including the release of PTI founder Imran Khan. However, Gohar blamed the government for the failure of the negotiations, denying allegations against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, which were said to have hindered the talks. “We have had some discussions and were hoping to make progress. All sides should realise their responsibility and respect each other,” he said.

The PTI leader identified the re-arrest of Imran Khan as the key reason for the breakdown of the talks. Khan was re-arrested after securing bail in the Toshakhana case, an event that Gohar suggested severely impacted the potential for an agreement. The PTI’s protest in Islamabad, which began on November 24 and ended abruptly on November 27, intensified the political crisis. Despite this violence, the PTI has maintained that it was the government’s refusal to engage in meaningful talks that led to the unrest. Ali Muhammad Khan, another PTI leader, also weighed in on the subject saying that Imran Khan has not closed the door on negotiations and claimed that the PTI had formed a committee to explore further discussions. Speaking to the media, he remarked, “If dialogue progresses, it’s a good sign. In my personal opinion, dialogue is the only way forward; there is no other solution. No party wants to see Pakistan in ruins.” On their part, some PML-N leaders like Rana Sanaullah in their recent media interviews have agreed with the proposal that the PTI and the government must talk to bring down political temperature and develop a formula for peaceful co-existence.

These developments show that there are sane and mature elements both in the opposition and the ruling party who recognise the need to end hostilities and evolve a consensus so that the country is put on the road to political and economic stability. In a democracy the door to dialogue and accommodation is never closed. Politics is a fine art through which disparate elements in a society are brought together to talk and understand each other’s point of view so that a path is charted out to pursue agreed national goals. Endless conflict and confrontation is in nobody’s interest. Especially, it is the incumbent government which suffers more because its energies instead of focussing on nation building activities are squandered on countering the opposition.

Pakistan is faced today with many challenges, including terrorism and economic instability. The law and order in Balochistan and Kurram Agency is concerning. Climate change is wreaking havoc on our agriculture and ecosystem. The debt burden is back breaking with more than 60 percent of the population living below the poverty line. On top of all this there is deepening political polarisation making it difficult for the government to tackle the challenges facing us. In the circumstances, it is incumbent that all stakeholders realise their responsibility and agree to sit down to hammer out an agreed solution. Now that the PTI has signalled its willingness to engage in talks, the government should lose no time in grabbing the opportunity. Since the government is the stronger party, a greater responsibility lies on it for setting in motion a process that leads to a negotiated solution to the crisis gripping the country at the moment.