ISLAMABAD – Leaders of the National Dialogue Committee (NDC) on Monday demanded formation of a national government and major constitutional and electoral reforms, saying the country could not achieve stability without free and fair elections based on Form-45.
Addressing a joint press conference at the National Press Club, former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, Muhammad Ali Durrani and Waseem Shahzad said the current setup was a “de facto government” and called for a 28th Constitutional Amendment to ensure effective implementation of the 18th Amendment and devolution of powers to the grassroots level. The NDC leaders also congratulated the newly elected body of the Islamabad Press Club and discussed the country’s political, economic and democratic situation.
Speaking on the occasion, Fawad Chaudhry said the committee’s main objective was to promote political stability, tolerance and democratic improvement. He said politics in Pakistan had become highly polarized and stressed that political forces should resolve issues through dialogue. Referring to his recent meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan, Fawad said politicians should avoid personal rivalries and focus on national interests. He expressed concern over the worsening economic situation, saying farmers were facing severe hardships and wheat production had declined by 20 percent this year. He claimed wheat was unavailable despite official support price of Rs3,500 per maund, warning that Pakistan could be forced to import costly wheat.
Fawad also said forced closures of retail markets and restaurants had badly affected businesses employing nearly 18 percent of the workforce, causing losses worth billions of rupees. Criticizing the electoral system, he alleged that election results were predetermined and demanded reforms to restore public trust. He further accused the PPP and PML-N leadership of promoting divisive politics through the Charter of Democracy. Muhammad Ali Durrani said the country’s political situation was entering a new phase and reiterated the demand to replace the “Form-47 system” with “Form-45.” He warned that continuation of the current system would further increase difficulties for ordinary citizens. Durrani also criticized the PTI parliamentary party, alleging it was acting as a “B-team” of the government instead of serving as a strong opposition.
Waseem Shahzad said nations succeed when they adapt to changing circumstances and noted that narrative warfare had become one of the biggest challenges in modern times, with media playing a key role. At the end of the press conference, the NDC leaders emphasized that political stability, transparent elections, democratic continuity and a national government formed through dialogue were necessary to steer the country out of its crises.
