Bilawal Says PTI-PPP Lack Trust but Dialogue Needed on National Issues
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — WEB DESK: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has acknowledged a lack of trust between the PPP and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf but said political dialogue remains necessary to resolve major national issues.
Speaking in London on Wednesday, Bilawal said Pakistan’s political parties should engage with one another despite their differences and work collectively to find solutions to problems confronting the country.
His remarks come amid continued political polarisation and disagreements between the government, its allies and opposition parties over parliament, elections, provincial restructuring and the wider political system.
PTI-PPP Trust Deficit Acknowledged
Bilawal openly acknowledged that relations between the PPP and PTI suffer from a trust deficit, but argued that this should not prevent political engagement.
He said all political parties should communicate and participate in dialogue over national issues rather than allowing disagreements to prevent engagement altogether.
The PPP chairman’s position stops short of announcing any formal negotiations between the two parties. Instead, his remarks amount to a broader call for political engagement.
There was no announcement of a scheduled PPP-PTI meeting or a new formal dialogue process.
Bilawal Criticises PTI’s Parliamentary Boycott
Bilawal also criticised PTI’s decision to boycott parliamentary committees and elections, arguing that disengagement from parliamentary institutions was damaging not only for PTI itself but also for the wider opposition and parliament.
He said the PPP had invited PTI to return to parliament and perform the role of an active opposition.
The comments underline the PPP’s position that political disputes should primarily be addressed through parliamentary institutions.
Bilawal argued that opposition parties can challenge the government more effectively by remaining involved in parliamentary processes rather than withdrawing from them.
KP Chief Minister Welcome in Sindh, Bilawal Says
The PPP chairman also addressed controversy surrounding political activities by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister in Sindh.
Bilawal said every political party and political leader has the right to conduct political activities.
If a chief minister from another province visits Sindh, he said, the province would welcome that leader in accordance with Sindh’s tradition of hospitality.
Bilawal said he had personally welcomed the KP chief minister when he visited Larkana and had also posted a message about the visit on social media.
He rejected suggestions that either the PPP or the Sindh government had attempted to obstruct the chief minister’s political activities.
Internal Problems Should Not Be Blamed on PPP
Responding to reports surrounding difficulties faced during the KP chief minister’s political activities, Bilawal said he had not seen a particular statement concerning a road being dug up.
However, he argued that if the chief minister encountered problems arising from internal political issues during his activities, responsibility should not automatically be placed on the PPP.
The remarks reflect continuing friction between PTI and the PPP despite Bilawal’s simultaneous call for dialogue.
PPP Highlights Cooperation With JUI-F
Bilawal contrasted the strained relationship with PTI with what he described as productive parliamentary cooperation between the PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl.
Although JUI-F sits on the opposition benches, Bilawal said cooperation between the two parties inside parliament had been positive.
He also said the PPP and JUI-F had formed an electoral alliance for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, describing it as the first such alliance between the two parties in the country’s history.
The development illustrates how political parties occupying different positions in parliament can still cooperate on selected political or electoral issues.
Bilawal Responds to Mohsin Naqvi Question
Bilawal was also asked about remarks attributed to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
He said Naqvi was entitled to express his own views and that he, Bilawal, would similarly continue expressing his own position.
The PPP chairman framed the disagreement as part of the normal right of political figures to hold and articulate different opinions.
New Provinces Debate Belongs in Parliament
Bilawal also addressed the increasingly prominent debate over creating new provinces or administrative units in Pakistan.
He argued that such a major national issue should be debated in parliament rather than at business forums.
Bilawal said he was prepared to debate the issue with any federal minister.
His remarks come as demands and proposals for new administrative units have gained attention in several regions of Pakistan.
The PPP has historically treated changes affecting provincial boundaries, particularly Sindh, as politically and constitutionally sensitive.
Bilawal said weaknesses within Pakistan’s political system should be discussed openly so solutions can be developed.
Electoral Reforms Committee Proposed
Bilawal also raised concerns over Pakistan’s electoral system.
Discussing the 2024 general election, he noted that criticism of the polls had come not only from opposition parties but also from parties that are part of the governing coalition.
The PPP, he said, has asked the government to establish a comprehensive parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.
Bilawal said all political parties should be represented on such a committee so they can work toward a consensus-based solution to problems affecting the electoral system.
He also reiterated that he continues to have reservations about elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Dialogue Without Formal Alliance
Bilawal’s comments are politically significant because they distinguish between dialogue and political alliance.
Acknowledging distrust between PTI and PPP does not indicate that the two parties are moving toward a coalition or formal partnership.
Instead, Bilawal’s argument is that Pakistan’s political parties should remain capable of communicating even when they disagree sharply.
The distinction is particularly relevant amid persistent polarisation in Pakistan’s political landscape.
Parliament at Centre of Bilawal’s Message
Several issues raised by the PPP chairman — PTI’s boycott, electoral reforms, new provinces and political engagement — were tied to a common theme: the role of parliament in resolving political disputes.
Bilawal’s remarks suggest that the PPP wants opposition parties to remain engaged with parliamentary institutions while using dialogue to address disagreements.
Whether that position leads to meaningful engagement between the PPP and PTI remains uncertain.
For now, the central message from Bilawal is that the trust deficit between the two parties is real, but it should not prevent political dialogue on issues affecting the country.
