Khawaja Asif Urges Opposition to Back Charter of Democracy
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif used a National Assembly speech on Wednesday to sharply respond to the opposition, urging its lawmakers to revisit their own political record before accusing the government of weakening democracy. Speaking on the floor of the lower house in Islamabad, he called for a renewed Charter of Democracy between the treasury and opposition benches after a tense parliamentary session a day earlier.
The remarks followed a stormy debate in which opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai strongly criticised the government, judiciary and establishment. Asif framed his response around political accountability, saying those demanding fairness from the government should also examine whether their own past conduct met democratic standards.
The defence minister argued that parliament had witnessed serious breaches during previous political eras and that no party could simply erase its record. He pointed to the period when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was in power, accusing its leadership of damaging parliamentary norms and deepening bitterness across the political system.
In his strongest message to the opposition, Asif said both sides should accept mistakes and move toward a written democratic understanding. He recalled that the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had once been fierce rivals but later agreed that the country needed basic rules of political conduct and mutual respect.
Asif referred to the political turbulence of the 1990s, when confrontation between major parties repeatedly destabilised governments and public institutions. He said Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif eventually recognised the need for a code of conduct, which later became the foundation of the Charter of Democracy and influenced constitutional reform.
The minister also criticised decisions taken during the former PTI government, including the rapid passage of legislation and the dissolution of the assembly. He presented those episodes as examples of why Pakistan’s democratic system still needs safeguards, institutional restraint and a willingness among parties to respect parliamentary procedures.
A key part of Asif’s speech focused on the role of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had approached the opposition benches a day earlier amid heated exchanges. The defence minister contrasted that gesture with the political culture under former prime minister Imran Khan, claiming that dialogue with rivals had been discouraged during that period.
The exchange reflects the broader strain inside Pakistan’s parliament at a time when the government is trying to manage budget legislation, constitutional debates and pressure from opposition parties. Political confrontation has repeatedly slowed consensus-building on national issues, while sharp rhetoric inside the house often travels quickly into public debate and social media.
For Pakistan, the significance of Asif’s statement lies in whether it becomes part of a serious attempt to rebuild parliamentary dialogue or remains another round of partisan criticism. A fresh democratic understanding could help reduce institutional conflict, but it would require concessions from both government and opposition lawmakers.
The next step will depend on whether opposition parties respond to the defence minister’s call for a Charter of Democracy or continue their confrontational strategy. With tensions still visible in the National Assembly, any meaningful progress will require sustained dialogue beyond speeches and symbolic gestures.