ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail formally launched a new political party on Saturday, calling for individuals with “ability and influence” to join their ranks to bring about change in the country amid a deeply polarized environment.
Both politicians were senior members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party but recently decided to part ways due to growing differences with its leadership.
Ismail, who took over as finance minister two years ago during a critical period for Pakistan’s economy, advocated for strict structural reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which led to significant economic hardships for the population. His decisions were later criticized by party colleagues for being detrimental to PML-N’s political standing, leading to his sidelining by the current deputy prime minister, Ishaq Dar, who is closely aligned with the Sharif family.
Abbasi criticized the broader approach of PML-N politics, arguing that despite multiple opportunities to govern, the party had failed to effect meaningful change for the people.
Together, the two politicians have decided to mobilize the public to “change the system” to create promising economic opportunities for everyone.
“To be in Awaam Pakistan, you need ability and influence,” Abbasi said while launching the new political faction. “If you have neither, you cannot be a part of this party.”
He said there was a long list of the political parties which had been created by the establishment, a euphemism for the country’s powerful military that has directly ruled the country for nearly three decades since independence in 1947.
“People ask us directly or indirectly, is the establishment with you? Have you got their permission? This is the biggest argument that highlights the failure of Pakistan’s politics,” he continued.
“Today, a common man in this country realizes and thinks there is no politics without the establishment,” he said, adding that all state institutions should have a constitutional relationship.
Addressing the gathering, Ismail said that Pakistan had become a “predatory” state where the rulers and the state were like a hunter and the public had been reduced to a prey.
“This budget is a reflection of the rulers’ priorities,” he said, referring to the finance bill approved last month while lamenting that taxes had been doubled for the salaried class.
“You all have to join politics,” he continued. “Politics can’t be left to politicians only, common people have to join it as well.”
The former finance minister informed all positions in the newly launched party had a term limit.
“No one will have a position for more than two terms,” he added. “Merit must be promoted on every level.”
Former PM Abbasi, ex-finance minister Ismail launch new political party amid polarized environment
https://arab.news/r9znv
Former PM Abbasi, ex-finance minister Ismail launch new political party amid polarized environment
- The former PML-N leaders emphasize meritocracy, say all office bearers will serve for two terms
- Miftah Ismail calls Pakistan ‘predatory’ state, laments more taxes on the salaried class in the budget
Pakistan summons Afghan envoy, seeks ‘decisive action’ against militants after killing of four soldiers
- Militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a military camp in North Waziristan, killing soldiers and injuring civilians
- Pakistan issues a demarche and tells Kabul it reserves the right to respond to militant attacks launched from Afghan territory
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned Afghanistan’s deputy head of mission on Friday and demanded “decisive action” against banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants after four Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack on a military camp in the country’s northwest, the foreign office said.
According to the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attack took place in North Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan when militants attempted to breach the camp’s perimeter but were repelled by troops, before ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into the outer wall.
The blast caused the wall to collapse and damaged nearby civilian infrastructure, including a mosque, it added.
ISPR said all four attackers were engaged by troops and killed, but four soldiers also lost their lives in the exchange, while 15 local residents, including women and children, were injured.
Officials in Islamabad have repeatedly accused Afghanistan of sheltering and facilitating TTP militants, who Pakistan says are backed by India, and whom it refers to as “khwarij,” a term from early Islamic history used to describe an extremist sect that rebelled against authority. Officials in Kabul and New Delhi deny the allegations.
“Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, today’s terrorist attack carried out by Khwarij belonging to Kharji Gul Bahadur Group on a Pakistan Military camp in North Waziristan District, which resulted in the martyrdom of four Pakistani soldiers,” the foreign office said in a statement. “To convey our strong demarche, the Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
It said the ministry expressed concern over the “continued support and facilitation” provided by Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to the TTP, an umbrella network of armed factions, which it said had emboldened militants to carry out attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces.
“Pakistan has demanded a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil,” the statement added. “The Afghan Taliban regime has been urged to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.”
The foreign office said the Afghan government had been informed that Pakistan “reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens” and would take all necessary measures to respond to attacks originating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan has faced a surge in militant violence along its western border since the Taliban authorities retook control in Kabul in 2021.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated in recent months, with the two sides witnessing deadly border clashes in October that killed dozens of people. While Qatar later mediated an uneasy truce and talks were held in Istanbul, negotiations failed to reach an agreement on how to address militancy.
The foreign office reiterated in its statement militants continued to enjoy a “permissive environment” in Afghanistan, adding that Kabul was not fulfilling its international commitments by allowing its territory to be used for attacks on a neighboring country.
