Zardari stresses unconditional dialogue between govt, opposition,

ISLAMABAD – Minister for Foreign Affairs on Monday said dialogue was the only way to steer the country out of constitutional and democratic crises.

Addressing the National Assembly on the eve of the Constitution’s golden jubilee, he said Supreme Court (SC) judges should put their political opinions aside and sit together adding that he would request the court to save the institution of judiciary. “Every institution should stay within its constitutional limits,” he added.

“They want to convey to us that two and two make three but the court’s verdict was [clearly announced by] 4-3,” he said.

The FM went on to say that they were present in the NA to celebrate the golden jubilee of the federal democratic Islamic constitution that was enacted on April 10, 1973. “The constitution is a binding force of four provinces and the day should be included in textbooks,” he added.

Mr Bhutto said Pakistan paid many sacrifices adding that we faced three dictatorships. “Former president Zia ul Haq’s dictatorship shattered the base of the democracy in the country while former prime minister Benazir Bhutto incepted the journey of restoration of democracy and struggled for the restoration of the constitution for thirty years,” he added.

He continued by saying that every dictator launched some fake politicians adding that some of them were united under the flag of the PTI. “Ousting selected PM [he calls Imran Khan this way] does not mean conspiracies ended,” he added.

The FM said we thought that democracy had won but we were wrong. “Conspiracy continues till today and people against the democratic progress are still present in some institutions,” he added. It was necessary, he alluded, to bring those conspiracies to light on this day.

Mr Bhutto went on to say that the country was reaping the seed former president Pervez Musharraf had sown adding that an attempt was made to make the country one unit. “Conspiracy against the eighteenth amendment was foiled,” he claimed.

Meanwhile,

Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari on Monday asked Prime Minster Shehbaz Sharif to hold dialogue with opposition but there should not be any prior conditions.

Addressing the National Constitutional Convention held at the National Assembly Hall in the federal capital in connection with Golden Jubilee celebrations of the 1973 Constitution, he said the opposition would have to come to the premier for dialogue “because he is the prime minister”.

Stressing unity, the former president said: “We can drive country out of any crisis by staying united”. He hoped that Pakistan, which is currently facing worst political and economic crisis, would be put on the track of development and “we will do it”.

Earlier, National Assembly Speaker Raja Parvez Ashraf welcomed the participants, including Justice Qazi Faez Isa, to the convention.

He said the month-long festivities had been organized to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Constitution, aimed at highlighting the importance of the Constitution at every level of society.

The Convention passed a resolution pledging to protect and defend the constitution of Pakistan in letter and spirit. The resolution moved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called upon all state organs to ensure that the constitution of 1973 was fully implemented and that the rights and interests of the people of Pakistan were protected and safeguarded.