Bilawal urges federal government to end political feuds, focus on economy
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged the federal government to end political differences and focus on economic problems. He spoke at a ceremony in Larkana.
- Bilawal urged talks with all political and provincial stakeholders
- He proposed federal cabinet meetings in different provinces, with one in Karachi
- He called for all parties to join the electoral reforms committee
Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has advised the federal government to end political differences and concentrate on economic problems. He said the government should hold talks with all political and provincial stakeholders instead of quarrelling with everyone.
He was speaking at a ceremony in Larkana. Referring to the PTI and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said: "If we keep fighting with PTI and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, when will we achieve economic progress?"
Bilawal described his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as very positive. He said a joint strategy had been made with the federation to serve the public.
He proposed that federal cabinet meetings be held in different provinces. He said a cabinet meeting would be held in Karachi to improve coordination between the federation and Sindh. He also said all political parties should become part of the electoral reforms committee.
On the hospital project, Bilawal said the Sindh government is handling hospital responsibilities better than other provinces. He said the federal government has no assistance included in building the Larkana hospital, and that federal projects in Sindh have been almost non-existent for a long time.
He recalled that when he was first elected to the National Assembly from Larkana, the Chandka hospital was facing difficulties. He said Larkana was being given a new hospital because of the burden on the old one, which also receives patients from Balochistan.
Bilawal also said: "Criticising is easy and working is hard." He added: "Some people are playing seminar-seminar; you should also hold a seminar, I will come."
Roobina Khalid, chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme, said at the event that the programme should be kept above political affiliations.
Background
khabr.pk reported on 6 November that Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government is not pushing JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman toward street protests, and that civic notices to a JUI-F affiliated seminary are administrative, not political.
Why it matters for Pakistan
The remarks concern how the federal government and the opposition deal with each other at a time of economic pressure. Weekly SPI inflation rose 0.29 percent in the week ended 5 November, and year-on-year SPI inflation stood at 12.31 percent, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Households and businesses in Sindh and other provinces are affected by how well the federation and provinces coordinate, including on projects such as the Larkana hospital, which also serves patients from Balochistan.
