KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday called on opposition parties to support the federal government’s efforts against terrorism, saying political cooperation could help end the emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Addressing a gathering at the Martyrs’ Memorial in Karachi on the 19th anniversary of the Karsaz tragedy, Bilawal criticised KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, alleging that he was unwilling to confront terrorism. He warned that the security situation in the province could deteriorate further if political forces failed to unite against militancy.
“If the opposition stands with the federal government against terrorism, the emergency can end,” Bilawal said, stressing that national unity was essential to defeating the terrorist threat.
Recalling the Karsaz attack, Bilawal paid tribute to the victims of the tragedy, in which a terrorist attack targeted the procession of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto following her return to Pakistan despite serious security threats. He said the PPP had consistently confronted terrorism and that people from different walks of life had sacrificed their lives in the fight against militancy.
He also recalled the military operation in Swat, describing it as the fulfilment of Benazir Bhutto’s promise that Pakistan’s national flag would fly in the region.
The PPP chairman alleged that allowing militants to return and resettle in Pakistan, along with the release of prisoners convicted of terrorism, had contributed to the current security challenges. He said KP was facing the country’s most serious terrorism threat and reiterated that his party would continue its efforts until militancy was eliminated.
Defending the federal government’s proposed imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in KP, Bilawal maintained that both measures were constitutional. He said opposition parties would need to engage in dialogue if they wanted the measures withdrawn.
Beyond security concerns, Bilawal highlighted Pakistan’s economic crisis and called on political parties to participate in proposed parliamentary discussions on electoral reforms. He emphasised the need for political compromise and dialogue to address the country’s economic and governance challenges.
On the question of creating new provinces and administrative units, Bilawal said such changes could be made through constitutional and legal procedures, subject to the required provincial approval. Referring to Gilgit-Baltistan, he questioned why a new province had not been established if a consensus already existed on the matter.
Bilawal reiterated that the PPP was not part of the federal government, while urging political forces to work together on terrorism, electoral reforms, economic difficulties, and other national issues.
