Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed hope on Friday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration would honor the commitments made to his party in exchange for their support in forming the coalition government at the Centre after the February 8 elections.
Speaking at an event in Karachi’s Lyari city marking the 71st birthday of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal criticized the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for not consulting his party on the next fiscal year’s budget. He emphasized that the current government is making efforts to steer the country out of the economic crisis but urged the ruling party to rely on its allies when finalizing the federal budget. He suggested that the 2024-25 budget could have been improved with PPP’s input.
Political tensions have risen between coalition partners over the budget issue, with PPP accusing PML-N of unilateral decision-making without consulting key allies. Bilawal expressed disappointment over the prevailing political instability and the spread of hate politics, blaming politicians in Islamabad for being unwilling to engage in dialogue.
Despite the differences, Bilawal remains hopeful that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration will fulfill its promises to PPP. He stressed the importance of democratic powers working together to strengthen the democratic system and urged parties to play a constructive role in parliament for the betterment of the country.
Bilawal assured that PPP would not engage in political infighting or use parliament for public disputes. He vowed to uphold the legacy of Benazir Bhutto, stating that her vision continues to guide the party. He also praised Karachi residents for their strong mandate to PPP and called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to address the city’s issues.
Addressing the power outage problem, Bilawal promised free solar energy installations for deserving people and subsidized solar panels for those who can afford them, aiming to expand this initiative across the province in five years. He also announced plans for employment initiatives for the youth in Sindh.
