Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has challenged Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to take his criticism of Pakistan’s collapsed political and governance system to parliament.
Speaking to the media in London, Bilawal said that Naqvi had the right to express his views but argued that any discussion about the system’s failures should take place in the National Assembly.
Bilawal said that parliament should debate why the system had failed and what measures could address its problems.
“It cannot be the case that the fate of the country is decided by a handful of businessmen,” the PPP chairman said, adding that elected representatives should discuss the weaknesses and failures of the system.
Bilawal also criticised Naqvi for his limited attendance in the National Assembly (NA).
“Mr Mohsin Naqvi does not come to the National Assembly very often, so instead of business forums, he should come to parliament,” he remarked.
The PPP chairman said that he was ready to debate the issue with any federal minister or government representative on the floor of parliament.
Bilawal added that Pakistan’s political system had faced problems and weaknesses for years and argued that slogans alone could not address them. He called for an open debate on the reasons behind the failures and possible solutions.
Asked whether Naqvi was speaking on behalf of someone else, Bilawal said, “Mr Mohsin Naqvi is speaking for himself, and I speak for myself.”
On the debate over creating new provinces, Bilawal said that the PPP had maintained its position on the matter for a long time. He referred to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Punjab and Sindh, saying people’s views should reach parliament through their elected representatives and provincial assemblies.
Bilawal also rejected the idea that creating new provinces would resolve Pakistan’s wider economic and political problems.
“You cannot simply say that by creating new provinces, you will solve the problems of political instability, poverty, unemployment, and the tsunami of inflation,” he observed.
The PPP chairman also denied that his party was preparing to end its cooperation with the federal government. He said that talks between PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) representatives were continuing.
“At present, we are fully engaged with the federal government,” he confirmed.
Bilawal also criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) decision to boycott parliamentary bodies, committees and elections, saying that the move could affect the party, the opposition and parliament itself.
“I believe PTI’s decision to boycott all bodies, all committees, and elections is not only wrong for PTI and wrong for the opposition, but it is also not good for parliament as an institution,” he said.
