Bilawal Bhutto advocates end to political rivalry cycle

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week urged the political leadership of the country to end “the cycle of political rallies against one another” and stressed the need to shift focus towards serving the public and protecting their rights.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Bilawal said that personal grievances, such as who jailed whom, must be set aside in favour of serving the people in parliament. He suggested that the speaker form a high-powered committee to restore the functionality of the house.

The PPP chairman stressed that without establishing the supremacy of the Constitution, no institution could function. He lamented that politics had become a curse in the country, warning that if the focus remained on “who to jail next”, politicians would continue to be trapped in the same cycle.

“The future of the country is present in parliament today,” Bilawal said, gesturing towards the students seated in the visitors’ gallery. He said that he reflected on what the youth might be thinking about the future. “Not many of them would aspire to become politicians,” he added.

“Politics has become a curse, but it is the same politics that will bring employment to the youth, economic justice to the people, and govern the country,” he continued. “The country is currently facing multiple crises, but when today’s children grow up, they will lead the region.”

He urged the people’s representatives in the house to maintain a working relationship. “If the government is constantly engaged in fire-fighting, and the opposition continues to curse, make noise, and act below the belt, they cannot fulfil their duty of holding the government accountable,” he said.

“If they claim the government’s economic or security policies are flawed, they must also propose solutions. Failure to fulfil their responsibilities means the opposition will not achieve its own objectives,” the PPP chairman told the house.

“While it is expected from the opposition to raise the matter of their imprisoned leaders, the more pressing issues for the people they represent include unemployment, inflation, education, health, and terrorism,” he stressed.

In an apparent reference to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Bilawal said that if a Chief Minister cursed the media and opposition, and used his own government to initiate vindictive actions against judges in the anti-terrorism court, it did not address the issues of the people.

In the same vein he also warned the coalition government. “On the other hand,” he said, “if the government’s primary focus is who to jail next, it might bring momentary satisfaction, but tomorrow “we will all be trapped in the same cycle”.

Bilawal recalled the cases and jailing of the PPP leaders during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan. However, he added that the party did not harbour any personal grudges against Imran, rather it wanted to protect the Constitution and democracy to solve problems of the people.

“This was the reason for the signing of the Charter of Democracy between Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. He stressed that both sides must work together for the country’s prosperity.

Bilawal said he criticised the government where necessary, adding that now was the time to evaluate the current government’s performance on key issues. He pointed out that the government’s target was to reduce inflation to 12%, the rate has already dropped to 9.6%, with the year not yet over.

“While we have criticised the government’s economic policies, the house should commend the reduction in inflation, and now everyone must contribute their input,” he said.

He said that from 2008 to 2013, the government operated with consensus, engaging with the same opposition that was responsible for keeping his father in jail for over a decade. He added they developed a consensus-based document that strengthened all constitutional institutions.

However, he warned that a lobby existed against that consensus, and sought to undermine it to create more space for anti-democratic forces. One such effort took shape under former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhary, he said.

“Another involved intelligence officers, backing a political party, pushing the political system to a point where even basic cooperation is elusive,” the PPP chairman continued. “This is playing with the destinies of future generations,” he added.

Bilawal urged the speaker to restore the functionality of the house, because a “functional parliament is essential for a functional country”. He reiterated that the responsibility of parliament was not only to legislate but also to create conducive environment.

He expressed disappointment over the resignation of senior politician Akhtar Mengal, who could have played a significant role in Balochistan’s politics. “All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing,” Bilawal said regarding Mengal’s resignation from the National Assembly.

He emphasised the need for all members to take responsibility. He reminded the house that during the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, he had advised against boycotting the assemblies – a reference to the resignation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members.

“Now, both the opposition and the country are suffering as a result,” he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has endorsed PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s proposal to sign a ‘Charter of Parliament,’ agreeing that it would help strengthen democracy.

The PM on Wednesday met with a PPP delegation led by Bilawal. The delegation also included PPP leaders Syed Naveed Qamar and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Information Atta Tarar, and Attorney General Mansoor Awan were also present at the meeting.

During the meeting, consultations were held on the country’s political situation. The PPP delegation expressed confidence in the government’s economic policies and measures. The PM appreciated the PPP’s consistent support for government actions aimed at stabilizing the national economy.

Earlier, while speaking on the floor of the house, Bilawal proposed that a ‘Charter of Parliament’ be signed between the government and opposition to foster better cooperation, despite ongoing leadership tensions.

He suggested that even if party leaders did not agree, members of parliament could still work towards signing a cross-party charter. He added that this initiative would strengthen parliamentary conduct and collaboration.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq endorsed the proposal.

The proposal came days after police arrested several PTI lawmakers and leaders in midnight raids on the Parliament House following a rally held in the capital.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday promised legal action against those involved in violating the sanctity of the lower house. He stated that he would nominate officials – including police and masked men – in the FIR, if necessary.

Regretting that the Parliament House had been attacked multiple times during his tenure, the speaker said he learned about the arrests from the lawmakers’ speeches. He added that he had requested video footage of the assembly precincts and would assign responsibility after reviewing the record.