- Shah Mahmood, Yasmin Rashid among leaders named for parole.
- Ex-PTI leaders say release vital for credible, meaningful dialogue.
- They welcome PM Shehbaz’s renewed offer of talks with opposition.
ISLAMABAD: A group of former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, who have formed a National Dialogue Committee (NDC) to promote political reconciliation, have formally written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking the release of senior party leaders held in Kot Lakhpat jail on parole.
In a letter sent by Mahmood Maulvi, Imran Ismail, and Fawad Hussain Chaudhry, the committee contended that the release of the arrested leaders is necessary to ensure “meaningful leadership and lend credibility to any proposed dialogue process,” The News reported.
The committee welcomed PM Shehbaz’s renewed offer of talks with the opposition, particularly PTI, and described it as a “golden opportunity” to stabilise the country amid deepening political, economic, and institutional challenges.
Notably, the letter does not mention PTI founder Imran Khan, focusing instead on the role of senior party leaders outside the Adiala jail in initiating and sustaining the dialogue process.
The most significant demand in the letter relates to the release of high-profile PTI leaders currently held in Kot Lakhpat Jail, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, and former senator Ejaz Chaudhry.
The committee said these leaders should be released on parole to enable them to lead and participate effectively in the dialogue process.
According to the letter, the committee believes that talks can only succeed if they begin with tangible confidence-building measures. The proposed release of detained PTI leaders, it said, would create a positive and trust-based environment and help restore mutual confidence among political stakeholders.
The NDC further appealed to all the political parties to rise above partisan interests and work towards consensus on the Charter of Democracy and the Charter of Economy, which it said were essential for long-term political stability and economic recovery.
Maulvi, Ismail, and Chaudhry had formed the National Dialogue Committee with the stated aim of facilitating a dialogue between the PTI and the government.
A copy of the letter was shared with The News by Chaudhry.
Originally published in The News
