Dialogue unlikely to succeed, though I hope for positive outcome: Sheikh Rashid

Awami Muslim League chief and former federal interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has expressed doubts about the success of the ongoing political dialogue, though he hoped for a positive outcome.

Speaking to the media outside the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi, Rashid stated that successful talks could inspire hope in the nation.

However, he warned against turning the process into a joke. He emphasised that prisons were overcrowded, and the poor were suffering.

He called for negotiations to result in the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission.

Rashid reiterated his demand for a general amnesty for political detainees, noting that previous governments issued pardons in the past.

He warned that the current administration was under international pressure and risked further economic collapse. “The government lacks public support, and significant decisions must be made in the coming weeks,” he emphasised.

The former minister mentioned the numerous cases filed against him, stating that they have left him weary of life.

He advised the government to focus on street vendors rather than looking at the stock market.