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Bilawal Bhutto Urges PPP Leaders to Push for Results in Federal Government Talks
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari calls for intensified talks with the federal government as coalition tensions rise. Will the PML-N deliver on commitments?
ND
by News Desk
2024-12-21
Bilawal Bhutto Urges PPP Leaders to Push for Results in Federal Government Talks

Amid growing dissatisfaction within his party regarding the performance of the federal government, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has directed his party leaders to ramp up efforts to address unresolved issues with the PML-N-led administration.

The directive, issued during a high-level meeting on Friday, comes in the wake of strained relations between the coalition partners. Despite previous commitments, key grievances from PPP leaders remain unaddressed, fueling frustration over “cosmetic measures” taken by the federal government.

The meeting, held at Bilawal House, was attended by prominent PPP figures, including Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, and senior leader Syed Naveed Qamar.

A statement issued after the meeting highlighted the party's concerns:

“The participants expressed a lack of confidence in the federal government regarding the progress on commitments made to various provinces.”

The PPP chairman reportedly instructed the attendees to intensify their engagements with the federal government, emphasizing the importance of tangible results ahead of the party's Central Executive Committee meeting.

Unresolved Issues Pile Up

Barrister Murtaza Wahab, the Karachi mayor and spokesperson for Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, outlined several critical issues that remain unresolved. These include the federal government’s failure to honor agreements on resource allocations under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and delays in approvals for PPP-led development projects at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

Additionally, Wahab pointed to longstanding grievances about the Centre-owned Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (SIDCL). The Sindh government has repeatedly called for the SIDCL’s dissolution, arguing that provincial and local governments are better equipped to execute development projects.

“They agreed to dissolve the SIDCL, but now we’re hearing about a new institution under the same model,” Wahab said, referencing the proposed Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Ltd.

The spokesperson also criticized the federal government’s contradictory approach, questioning the establishment of new organizations while dismantling others, such as the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD).

“If you need to keep checks on the utilization of funds, we don’t object. But let local and provincial governments do their jobs,” Wahab asserted.

Coalition Partners on Fragile Ground

The PPP’s latest stance follows inconclusive talks with the PML-N, with another round of negotiations scheduled later this month. However, as tensions simmer, the PPP appears to be running out of patience, signaling that the resolution of these issues is critical for sustaining the coalition.

The outcome of these engagements is expected to shape the party’s strategy ahead of its Central Executive Committee meeting, where the growing list of grievances could influence future decisions.

 
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