Islamabad [Pakistan], February 13 (ANI): Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday called for making his father, Asif Ali Zardari, the president again, Dawn reported. Zardari served as the 11th president of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013.
In a press conference held in Islamabad following a two-day party meeting, Bilawal asserted that this recommendation was not merely due to familial ties but rooted in his belief that Asif Ali Zardari possesses the capacity to navigate the current challenges faced by the country. “And I am not saying this because he is my father. I am saying this because the country is in a huge crisis at the moment and if anyone has the capacity to douse this fire, it is Asif Ali Zardari,” Dawn quoted Bilawal as saying.
Acknowledging the pressing issues discussed during the party meeting, Bilawal emphasised the PPP‘s commitment to extricating Pakistan from its current crisis. He stressed the need for all political forces to prioritise national interests over divisive politics, cautioning against providing opportunities for external adversaries to exploit the internal turmoil. “PPP‘s principle decision is to take Pakistan out of the current crisis,” he said.
Bilawal announced the PPP‘s decision to form a committee aimed at engaging with other political parties to facilitate the formation of government and restore political stability. He clarified that the PPP, while not actively seeking ministerial roles or a direct role in the federal government, is willing to support and contribute on an issue-to-issue basis for the greater good of the country.
Bilawal also said all political forces should think about the country and end the politics of division, saying, “They must not just think about themselves […] this way the enemies of the country would want to benefit from this crisis.” “It takes two to tango,” he added.
Expressing concern over the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf‘s (PTI) recent decisions, particularly its refusal to engage in dialogue with other major political parties, Bilawal criticised the approach, stating that a political force must listen to others to address the electorate’s problems effectively. “Saying that we will not talk with anyone, okay don’t do it. But why did people give you a vote? They voted for you to resolve their problems […] a political force must listen to others. When they don’t do that, it damages the country,” Bilawal pointed out, as reported by Dawn.
While accepting the election results, Bilawal highlighted concerns raised during the PPP‘s Central Executive Committee meeting regarding a fair playing field. “We will support political parties without becoming part of the government in the shape of ministries or PDM 2 as people are saying. We will not become part of it. As far as premiership issues, budget and legislation are concerned, we will support them,” Bilawal added.
“We want all the political parties to address the shortcomings so that no one can point fingers at elections the next time. We will also utilise available forums like ECP, parliament, etc in addressing these issues,” he added. Addressing the question of premiership, Bilawal clarified that the PPP does not have the mandate to form a government in the federation. As a result, he announced that he would not be putting himself forward as a candidate for the position of Prime Minister. “In conclusion, the PPP has made the decision that we may not be a part of the government but we will engage with political parties on the issue of votes and the election of prime minister. I am assuring the public that the Parliament will be formed and it is a forum where their issues will be resolved,” Bilawal added.
He also said that the PTI had denied forming a coalition with the PPP which left the PML-N as the only party that had invited the PPP to join the government, Dawn reported. (ANI)
