LARKANA: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday urged the PML-N-led federal government to engage all political and social stakeholders rather than ‘fighting everyone’ ‘I advise the federal government that this is the time to engage with the political, social and provincial stakeholders rather than fighting everyone, he remarked, while addressing the foundation stone-laying cere-mony of a 600-bed hospital in his home constituency.
However, the PPP leader cautioned that if ‘we continue to fight among ourselves’ and keepfighting with PTI and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman alongside the fight against terrorists, India, Afghanistan and others then they might end upremaining engaged in that.
The PPP chairman further stressed that the coalition government’s focus should be on the economic difficulties faced by the people, not on their ‘differences with each other’ ‘If the federal government and the relevant stal(eholders focus on the problems faced by the people, only then we can emerge successful in this test, no matter how long it goes on for,’ he said, referring to the economic consequences of the Middle East conflict.
His remarks follow exchanges of harsh remarks over recent weeks between the JUI-F chief and federal ministers, after the former accused the Centre of depriving the provinces of their rights.
The Maulana has been critical of the federal government over the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hehas also accused the Centre of reneging on its commitments amid his efforts to mediate between the federal and KP governments.
Responding to a query, the PPP chairman highlighted that from America to Larkana, people around the world were bearing the economic burden of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
‘This is a backbreaking burden. We have not seen this phenomenon in the past,’ the former foreignminister said, adding that even if the war ended tomorrow, its economic consequences were unlikely to end soon.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari contended that regardless of whether a country was directly involved in the war or not, supporting its people had become the biggest test for many governments around the world.
He said it has been a tradition in Pakistan that opposition parties accusewhoever is in government of rigging. If everyone’s position is the same, the government’s electoral reforms committee is an opportunity to resolve this fundamental issue, he said.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari insisted that efforts were being made to include the opposition on an equal footing in the committee, adding that PTI members should be included on an equal basis to ensure that the party does not cry foul over rigging after elections.
If the opposition does not join the judicial commission or the electoral reforms committee, it should not complain later, he said.
The PPP chairman said that while it was not advisable to remove any elected government, terrorism was a red line for the PPP. A PPP governor is currently handling affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said, adding that it was the chiefminister’s responsibility to confront terrorism and avenge the blood of civilians, soldiers and police.
‘The PPP maintains that the democratically elected governments are always in a better position to deal with all matters, including terrorism,’ he said.
However, Mr BhuttoZardari claimed, the KP CM gave in and publicly declared they would not fight terrorists. In such circumstances, and 1(eeping constitutional matters in view, the prime minister had imposed governor’s rule and declared an emergency in the province, he said.
He noted that the PM had held talks with the PTI on his party’s request, adding: ‘We say even today that talks should be held, and I will be the first to say that governor’s rule should be ended’.