ISLAMABAD: While claiming that the coalition government has inherited from its predecessor a ‘divided country’ and a ‘collapsed economy’, Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday said he did not see the need to hold early elections as was being demanded by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The incumbent government, however, was looking for solutions to internal problems and consensus at the international level, said Mr Bhutto-Zardari in an interview with Al-Jazeera.

The PPP chairman said in order to address the challenges inherited from the previous government, it was essential that the whole country get united as no single political party or individual could address the situation alone.

Rubbishing the accusations of a ‘foreign conspiracy’ behind Mr Khan’s removal, he said political leaders were supposed to speak the truth to their people instead of coming up with conspiracy theories. He said it was for the first time that a prime minister was removed constitutionally through a vote of confidence, not through a coup or court order.

When asked about the possibility of early elections, the PPP chairman said, instead of “furthering democracy”, the early elections would “further Khan’s agenda”.

He said it was important for the country to complete its five years term unless there was any urgency, which currently was not there.

To a question, the foreign minister said Kashmir was an unfinished agenda and since Narendra Modi’s election, the space for Muslims in India as well as Kashmir was shrinking.

Coming to Afghanistan, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan would work with Afghan government to address the challenge posed by the terrorist outfits, he said, adding that the TTP had been involved in terror attacks.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2022