The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) on Wednesday welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s renewed offer of talks with the opposition and called on the government to release senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders detained at Kot Lakhpat Jail on parole as a confidence-building measure.
In a joint reaction, NDC members Mahmood Molvi, Imran Ismail and Fawad Chaudhry said the success of any negotiation process depended on meaningful trust-building steps, warning that dialogue without confidence would neither be successful nor sustainable.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the committee demanded the release of Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Ijaz Chaudhry, arguing that their freedom would allow them to play an effective role in the positive negotiation process.
In a Facebook post, Fawad Chaudhry issued a press release from the NDC that described that the committee welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s fresh dialogue offer to the opposition and expressed hope that the initiative would succeed in resolving the country’s political, economic and judicial crises.
The committee said the dialogue initiative had been launched at a time when neither the government nor PTI supported talks, adding that the prime minister’s current positive policy statement reflected the committee’s sustained efforts.
Describing the offer as a golden opportunity, the NDC said it could help ensure political stability, democratic continuity and national progress, urging all stakeholders not to waste the moment.
The NDC stressed that the government should unilaterally announce the release of political prisoners, including senior PTI leaders, and provide special relief to female political detainees before formal talks begin so that dialogue could start in a positive atmosphere.
The committee maintained that such confidence-building steps would not only strengthen the dialogue process but also lay the groundwork for broader political reconciliation.
It reiterated that dialogue remained the only viable path to steer Pakistan away from political polarisation and towards unity, development and progress, calling on all political parties to agree on a Charter of Democracy and a Charter of Economy.
The development follows remarks by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a federal cabinet meeting yesterday, where he reiterated his call for dialogue with the opposition, emphasising that national stability and prosperity could only be achieved through peaceful and constructive engagement across the political spectrum.
The prime minister directly addressed the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stating that he had personally extended multiple offers for dialogue, aiming to foster political harmony amid the growing national tensions.
“I have made several personal offers to engage in dialogue with all political parties. It is vital that we work together for the development and prosperity of the country,” PM Sharif remarked.
