ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has criticised the government for not implementing the National Action Plan in letter and spirit and called it “criminal negligence”.

He deplored Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks that the government would talk to the Afghan Taliban for security of a gas pipeline.

“Is it still the state policy to outsource strategic security interests and policies to non-state militants?” the PPP chairman asked.

According to PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar, during his meetings with party’s office-bearers and members from Malakand, Dera Ismail Khan and Hazara divisions at the Zardari House here on Saturday, Mr Bilawal said: “It seems we have still not abandoned that policy and are still running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.”

The PPP chairman, who arrived here from Lahore on Tuesday, said NAP called for reforming the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, but no reforms had been introduced in tribal areas so far.

PPP chairman calls for reforms in Federally Administered Tribal Areas

A delegation of the People’s Doctors Forum also called on the party chairman.

Mr Bilawal said that banned organisations continued to function under new names and the law enacted during the PPP government banning their resurrection under different names was being ignored.

He said under the law, the Nacta Board of Governors headed by the prime minister was required to meet once every three months, but it had not met for one year.

He paid tribute to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for their heroic fight and sacrifices in the war against extremism and militancy.

“I salute the people of KP for continuing to wage a heroic war against militancy despite the federal government’s pathetic response to the existential threat facing the country,” an announcement by the PPP Media Centre quoted him as saying.

He said that with the help of the party’s ideological workers and democratic people, the PPP would regain the ground it had lost in the 2013 general election and the recent local government polls.

“I urge you to rise above the petty personal differences and work together to shore up the party to meet the challenges that lie ahead,” he added.

Mr Bilawal said he would soon visit southern and northern divisions of KP to meet the rank and file of valiant party workers and people.

Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, PPP information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira, and other central and provincial leaders of the party were present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2016