Bilawal urges federal government to engage political forces

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has urged the federal government to engage all political parties, provincial governments and social stakeholders instead of engaging in political confrontations.

Addressing a ceremony in Larkana on Friday, Bilawal said the government should prioritise public concerns and economic challenges rather than allowing political differences to deepen divisions.

He highlighted the growing economic consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran, warning that its impact would continue even if the conflict ended immediately. He described the financial burden as unprecedented and said governments worldwide were facing a major challenge in protecting their populations from its effects.

Bilawal advised the federal government to bring all political and social forces to the negotiating table. He stressed that cooperation among political stakeholders was essential to tackling the economic difficulties facing the country.

He cautioned that continued confrontations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and other political groups would distract the government from addressing public issues. He said the country’s priorities should include economic stability, public welfare and security rather than political disputes.

His remarks come amid growing tensions between federal ministers and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over provincial rights and the federal government’s decision to impose governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Bilawal also defended the imposition of governor’s rule in KP, rejecting allegations that counterterrorism efforts were being used as a pretext to remove the elected PTI government.

He argued that the security situation in the province had deteriorated significantly, with terrorist attacks and casualties reaching levels not witnessed since 2007-08. He attributed the growing security threats partly to developments in Afghanistan following the change of government there.

The PPP chairman maintained that although elected governments were generally better positioned to handle security challenges, the situation in KP required serious attention. He also criticised the provincial administration under Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, alleging that it had failed to protect residents from terrorism.

Bilawal further recalled that the PPP had encouraged dialogue between the federal government and PTI to resolve political differences. He thanked the government for engaging with PTI but regretted that the negotiations had failed.

Reiterating his willingness to support political reconciliation, Bilawal invited PTI to resume negotiations and urged the federal government not to shut the door on dialogue. He said he would be the first to call for an end to governor’s rule if political stakeholders reached a consensus on addressing terrorism and restoring security in the province.