Bureau Report
KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to abandon protest politics and pursue dialogue, saying the party’s negotiating team has caused damage to its own political interests.
Addressing a meeting in Karachi, Bilawal said dialogue was a fundamental principle of the PPP and advised PTI to prioritise negotiations over agitation. He expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would succeed in facilitating talks between the government and PTI.
Bilawal criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, accusing him of maintaining a hardline approach and worsening difficulties for PTI’s imprisoned leaders. He also raised concerns over the province’s security situation, noting that terrorist incidents were occurring frequently. He questioned how the provincial government could oppose an emergency if it failed to cooperate in counterterrorism efforts.
Commenting on Karachi’s political future, Bilawal said some political parties had promoted hatred and division since their emergence. He recalled the city’s history of violence and said the PPP had worked tirelessly to restore peace.
He opposed demands for administrative units, stressing that Karachi’s future should be decided by its residents. Bilawal also warned against handing control of the city to hostile elements, saying its people had the ultimate right to determine its direction.
