QUETTA: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said the issues and challenges facing Balochistan would be resolved through reconciliation and consultation with other political parties and leaders as one person or a single party alone could not tackle them.

“The guiding principle for my party’s government in Balochistan is the philosophy of reconciliation as envisioned by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto,” he said while speaking at a press conference at the CM Secretariat after attending the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti here on Saturday.

Mr Bugti, PPP’s Balochistan president Mir Changez Jamali, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Engineer Zamrak Khan Piralizai of the ANP, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran of the PML-N and Mir Zia Langove of the BAP were also present at the press conference.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari affirmed the PPP’s commitment to collaborate with all political parties, both within and outside parliament, to effectively address the challenges faced by Balochistan.

Bilawal asks for parliamentary committee to address concerns over ‘missing persons’

Outlining his party’s priorities for future political activities, he said: “I will spend less time in Islamabad and more time in Quetta and Karachi.” He expressed gratitude to all political parties present in the Balochistan Assembly for their support in the election of his party’s nominee as the chief minister.

The PPP chairman, while replying to a question, emphasised that the issue of missing persons is a concern for the entire country and called for constituting a parliamentary committee to address the matter.

“We invite all parties to join the PPP in establishing the committee as our aim is to seek solution through reconciliation and coordination,” he said, adding that the PPP, in consultations with all political parties, will make efforts to solve people’s problems.

He said the Balochistan government would be run according to the philosophy and ideology of the PPP, emphasising that his mother Benazir Bhutto’s last book was on reconciliation.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari mentioned that his party had contested the elections based on a 10-point manifesto, adding that had the PPP formed the government at the Centre, it would have implemented stringent measures to provide relief to the people.

“Now that the PPP has formed governments in Sindh and Balochistan, our commitment is to pursue the implementation of the ‘people’s economic agreement’ despite limited resources in the two provinces,” he added.

The PPP chairman said a “party of martyrs” is now ruling Balochistan, and it would be ensured that its people no longer have to endure further martyrdoms.

He also reiterated that terrorism and extremism would be eliminated through implementation of the National Action Plan.

“We fought terrorists in Swat and Waziristan,” he said, adding that they would again address the issue of terrorism through a policy involving dialogue, deterrence and development.

Responding to a question, the PPP chairman said the 18th Constitution Amendment and the NFC Award were actually the demands of Balochistan, which were fulfilled by the previous PPP government.

He mentioned that Aghaz-i-Haqooq Balochistan was initiated by former president Asif Ali Zardari, adding that had it been implemented, the situation in Balochistan would have been different at that time.

He the newly elected CM would visit Gwadar, a city severely affected by recent rains, and personally assess the situation there, conduct a thorough review, and make announcements regarding assistance for the affected people.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2024