PPP Suspends Cooperation with Govt Until Concerns Resolved: Bilawal Bhutto

Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday announced a major political decision, stating that the party’s cooperation with the government will remain suspended until its concerns are fully addressed.Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Bilawal said the PPP has always respected Parliament and wants it to function effectively. However, he made it clear that collaboration with the ruling coalition, particularly the PML-N, will not resume until the party’s objections are resolved. “If legislation can be passed without the PPP, then go ahead and do it. But if justice is not done with the PPP, it will be difficult to sit with the PML-N,” he asserted.Bilawal emphasized the need to activate parliamentary standing committees and expressed hope that opposition parties would reverse their decision to boycott them. He revealed that he had held meetings with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas, urging opposition parties to return to the committees to strengthen the parliamentary system.On the issue of creating new provinces, Bilawal reiterated the PPP’s longstanding position. He said the party would not accept any decision imposed by force. Consensus already exists on a South Punjab province, but the PPP’s stance on a new province in Sindh is well known. “Where there is no consensus, new provinces should not be created,” he said, adding that the party cannot even imagine any conspiracy against Punjab. He stressed that the PPP fought two elections on the manifesto of the right to rule and ownership, and its priority remains making the House fully functional.Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the medical treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan, Bilawal said Khan should receive proper treatment. However, he noted that it would have been better if the government had arranged the treatment itself rather than waiting for a court order.Regarding the electoral process, Bilawal said he does not want objections to be raised over elections. He stressed that all political parties must work together on electoral reforms and that no political worker’s body should have to be lifted during elections. Describing the PPP as a democratic party, he said it accepts its defeats with grace.Commenting on the recent Azad Kashmir elections, Bilawal acknowledged that questions had been raised in the small territory but said the communication gap with opposition parties had been bridged.On the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment, Bilawal said he had no knowledge of any formal proposal and that nothing had been presented to him so far, though consensus-building among allies was ongoing.When asked about the government and the establishment being on the same page, Bilawal declined to comment directly but remarked that they “may be on the same page, yet there is something fishy.” He repeated that the PPP wants justice, and without it, sitting with the PML-N would be difficult.Responding to the DG ISPR’s recent statement, Bilawal clarified that he had not taken any particular position and had merely answered a question.Sources earlier indicated that a PPP meeting chaired by Bilawal had decided to give the government a tough time in the upcoming parliamentary session.