Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday urged the federal government to bring all stakeholders into dialogue and set political rivalries aside, arguing that the country’s economic troubles need shared effort. Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for a 600-bed hospital in Larkana, he said the public was finding it hard to get by. “The people of Pakistan are finding it difficult to live economically,” he said.
Bilawal said the government should focus on the hardships faced by ordinary citizens rather than getting drawn into political clashes. “Every country’s first responsibility is to look after its people,” he said, adding that protecting the public from economic strain was the biggest challenge. He named the PTI, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, terrorists, India and Afghanistan as sources of ongoing friction, asking when attention would finally turn to economic development.
Calls to end confrontation and join electoral talks
The PPP chairman urged the government to engage every stakeholder instead of picking fights with all of them. He stressed that political differences should be put aside so economic challenges can be addressed. On electoral reform, he said the PTI should take part in the committee formed to discuss changes to the electoral process.
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Bilawal asked opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate to secure the PTI’s representation on the committee without conditions. He said party founder Imran Khan had given them full authority to make that decision. He added that the PPP had approached opposition leaders and asked them to nominate representatives.
He noted that the opposition had repeatedly insisted Khan should first be released or be allowed to meet party leaders before engaging on other matters. Bilawal said the PTI and some government representatives had raised allegations of electoral rigging. The proposed committee, he said, could serve as a starting point if all sides believed elections had been manipulated. He claimed the alleged manipulation had been aimed at stopping the PPP from succeeding, and said his party had consistently worked towards electoral reforms in every era.
Talks with Shehbaz Sharif and provincial concerns
Bilawal described his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as positive, saying both sides had worked together to shape a strategy. He said the federal budgets had been approved with PPP support and that the Centre was now extending help for development projects. However, he pointed out that Balochistan had complaints about not receiving federal projects. He also said he had suggested that the prime minister hold cabinet meetings in the provinces.
Larkana hospital and healthcare access in Sindh
Speaking about the new hospital, Bilawal said Chandka Hospital had been a gift from former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to the people, but it could no longer cope with its growing patient load. He said people from Balochistan, including Naseerabad and other areas, travelled to Larkana for medical treatment. Recalling his first election as an MNA, he said he had contacted the medical superintendent of Chandka Medical College and learnt about the difficulties faced by the institution.
He said the PPP wanted to offer internationally standard healthcare to the public and that no citizen should be denied treatment for lack of money. “In the present circumstances, free healthcare facilities are more important for the people,” he said. Bilawal added that Sindh was spending Rs45 billion on higher education, while the provincial government was also focusing on healthcare across the province in view of the economic situation.
