Bilawal Bhutto warns against exploiting Balochistan crisis
Liaquat Ali
Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned against attempts to exploit the situation in Balochistan and vowed to counter any threats to the federation.
He made these remarks while addressing a gathering on the 46th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.
“The wave of terrorism from Balochistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is at its peak. Addressing internal weaknesses is part of our agenda, and we are committed to eliminating the sense of deprivation,” Bilawal said, urging the nation to stand united against those who spill the blood of innocent people.
Bilawal added that terrorists attempt to radicalize Baloch women into becoming suicide bombers. “They hide behind religion and nationalism, but the truth is, terrorists have neither a religion nor a nation. They sell their faith to global powers,” he remarked.
The PPP chairman said President Asif Ali Zardari had ensured justice for his father through a presidential reference, leading to the Supreme Court’s declaration of Bhutto’s innocence after five decades.
He commended PPP workers for their unwavering commitment, highlighting the party’s role in restoring the Constitution and launching welfare initiatives, including the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
Bilawal said the PPP has always opposed any canals on the Indus river, calling it extremely damaging for the province’s farming industry.
He went on to says that the had fought the case for fair water distribution at the global level and urged the international community to help protect the Indus River.
“I have taken the battle over water distribution to the global stage. I have told the world that we must save our River Indus.”
He added that the issue of water theft by India has been consistently raised during his tenure as foreign minister. “India continues to steal our water, and I have taken on this challenge internationally,” he said.
He also highlighted the Sindh government’s progress in healthcare, noting that the province now offers world-class medical facilities from Karachi to Sukkur, attracting patients from across Pakistan.
He announced plans to grant land ownership to two million families and generate one million jobs, reinforcing the PPP’s commitment to people-centric governance.
The PPP chairman further lauded the provincial government’s efforts in curbing inflation and emphasized the importance of development models similar to Tharparkar’s, advocating for collaborative projects involving all provinces to ensure balanced economic growth.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his 46th death anniversary, remembering him as a champion of democratic values in Pakistan.
The prime minister, in a statement, said that the services of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in promoting democracy and democratic values in Pakistan would always be remembered.
He said that under Bhutto’s leadership, Pakistan adopted the unanimous Constitution of 1973 who also played a key role in the unity of the Muslim Ummah.
PPP chairman says party is Bhutto’s torchbearer, praising Zardari for securing justice via presidential reference.
