LAHORE:Warning that `no one will emerge victorious` from the current political deadlock, as the entire nation pays the price, senior Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique urged both the government and the opposition to rise above `ego, stubbornness, and factionalism` to pursue dialogue.

In a candid, multi-part message, posted on social media platform X, the former federal minister stressed that the state must take the first step toward rec-onciliation to preventfurtherloss oflife and property.

`If there is a genuine intention to resolve issues, a way forward can always be found,` he wrote, urging both sides to stop tearing apart each other`s selfrespect. `This is a sign of petty-mindedness, not something to take pride in.

He highlighted the mounting socioeconomic crisis facing the masses, noting that a nation reeling from inflation, unemployment, injustice and terrorism is crying out for relief.

`The common man has been crushed.

They have zero interest in political debates, physical shows of strength, mud-slinging, brawls, or the boasting of achievements,` he observed.

The former minister`s stark appeal for a dialogue aligns with his ongoing efforts within the party ranks and public forums to lower the national political temperature. Over recent months, Mr Rafique has repeatedly diverged from the harsh party rhetoric to advocate for a broader consensus.

Earlier this year, he urged political stakeholders to agree on fresh charters of democracy and economy, arguing that daily incidents of violence, terrorism and economic paralysis demand a unified national strategy rather than continuedconfrontation.

He had noted that political parties would ultimately have to sit together to reduce instability, stating, `If enemies can be reconciled internationally, political forces within Pakistan can certainly hold a dialogue.

Similarly, during a seminar late last year, the PML-N leader warned that repeated assaults on the sanctity of the vote had eroded public trust and that confrontation would only weaken the state. He reiterated that the government must actively engage all constitutional forces and keep channels open with all institutions to foster stability.