In an interview with cable television channel ARY News the other day, the former prime minister was of the view that he does not see a role that he can play in any incoming setup.
"I don't want to become a part of any such setup which does not lead to improvement," he said.
"From what I see, elections won't help reduce our problems whether I participate in them or not," he said.
Abbasi explained that he had spent the past five years sitting in the parliament. A portion of that was on the opposition benches, and most recently, he has been sitting on the treasury benches with the government.
"But I haven't seen anything positive happen for the country."
He went on to paint a grim picture.
"Today, I am not convinced that we have solved all of the problems facing the country, nor do we have the capacity to solve them or the vision for it."
He added that if he can't even see a vision that can help solve national problems, what can he hope to achieve by contesting elections?
"I see the truth, and I am trying to find a solution for it, and I do not see it in contesting elections," he said, adding that it was his personal decision.
Abbasi reiterated that he did not want to become a part of a system that could not resolve the country's problems.
"I can help resolve the country's problems by remaining out of [Parliament]; I may even be able to do a better job [outside rather than being an insider]," he suggested.
Return of Nawaz Sharif
With Abbasi considered to be close to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, he was asked about the three-time prime minister's return.
"You will have to ask PML-N leader and former federal minister Mian Javed Latif about it," Abbasi said, adding that Javed Latif has the power to bring Nawaz Sharif back.
He has taken on this task voluntarily. Even I ask him every week whether he has got a date for Nawaz's return, but he hasn't given a date yet, he joked.
Before Latif, Ayaz Sadiq was responsible for this, but then he gave it up, Abbasi added.
"Nawaz Sharif is the only one who will decide when he is returning to Pakistan."
Asked about recent political wrangling and how one major party was disintegrating, Abbasi pointedly said that political parties don't break, though an effort has been made.
"Those that appear to fragment are mostly experiments which almost always fail," he said suggestively.
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