LONDON/ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has challenged Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to take his criticism of Pakistan’s political and governance system to parliament, saying decisions about the country’s future should not be made at gatherings of businessmen.
Speaking to reporters in London, Bilawal said Naqvi was entitled to argue that the existing system had “collapsed”, but such a claim should be debated in the National Assembly so elected representatives could examine what had failed and what reforms were required. “It cannot be the case that the fate of the country is decided by a handful of businessmen,” he said.
Bilawal also addressed the growing debate over creating new provinces, rejecting suggestions that administrative restructuring by itself would solve Pakistan’s problems of inflation, unemployment, poverty and political instability. He said any such changes should reflect the wishes of the people through their elected representatives and provincial assemblies.
The PPP chairman said his party remained engaged with the PML-N-led federal government despite disagreements and also criticised PTI’s boycott of parliamentary bodies and elections, arguing that abandoning institutional forums weakened parliament itself.