ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to return to the parliamentary committees, particularly the proposed electoral reforms panel, saying its boycott was weakening parliament.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon, Bilawal Bhutto called on the opposition to play an active role in the parliamentary proceedings, urging Leader of the Opposition Mahmood Khan Achakzai to use his authority to persuade opposition lawmakers to resume participation in the committees.
The PPP chairman said the government and the treasury benches had responsibilities to ensure parliament functioned effectively, while the opposition also had a duty to contribute to its functioning. “The responsibility of activating this House also rests with the opposition,” he said, warning those who wanted parliament to remain weak and ineffective would achieve their objective if elected representatives failed to perform their roles.
Bilawal said the opposition’s decision not to participate in parliamentary committees, including the finance committee, had weakened the legislature and deprived constituents of representation in important policy discussions. He said opposition lawmakers had a responsibility to raise the concerns of their constituents and political parties through parliamentary forums rather than staying away from them.
“If the leader of the opposition is serious about making parliament functional and wants all of us to play our role in this regard, I request him to use the authority given to him by Imran Khan,” Bilawal said and referred to the authority exercised by PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in relation to the leaders of the opposition in both the National Assembly and Senate, urging them to use their positions to bring their lawmakers back to parliamentary committees.
Bilawal specifically urged the opposition to nominate its representatives to the electoral reforms committee, saying participation would provide an opportunity to address allegations of electoral manipulation and improve the electoral process before future elections. He said parliament had already adopted a resolution for the formation of the committee and that the opposition should nominate its members and submit their names to the relevant office.
The PPP chairman said the committee could examine concerns raised by PTI about alleged rigging and work towards addressing them before the next general elections, local government polls and by-elections. “If you want the issue of rigging against you to be addressed in the coming general elections, local government elections or by-elections, we can begin with the electoral reforms committee,” he said.
Bilawal argued that the opposition’s participation would help parliament develop the strength and public respect it deserved, adding electoral reforms required engagement from political parties rather than a boycott of parliamentary forums.
Bilawal also called for a comprehensive briefing to parliament on Pakistan’s evolving geopolitical, economic and security situation, saying the country could face significant challenges in the coming days, weeks and months. He urged the finance, foreign affairs, defence and interior ministers to brief the House on developments affecting Pakistan and the wider region.
He said lawmakers needed to understand the potential risks facing the country, the implications of regional developments and the government’s preparations to address emerging challenges.
The PPP chairman highlighted disruptions and difficulties affecting maritime routes, referring to the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Balkans, and called for an assessment of their potential consequences for the global and Pakistani economies. He also sought a parliamentary discussion on developments linked to the Iran conflict, asking the government to explain how the situation could affect Pakistan’s economic outlook and regional security.
The PPP chairman said parliament should also be briefed on the implications of Pakistan’s defence agreements, including their potential effects in the coming days. He stressed that every member of parliament had the right to receive information about the challenges facing the country and the steps being taken by the government to address them.
Bilawal said the briefing should cover both immediate threats and the broader strategic environment, enabling lawmakers to understand the risks and contribute to national decision-making.
Bilawal also called for parliament to be informed about the country’s internal security situation, particularly the threat of terrorism. He said lawmakers needed details of the measures being taken by the government, the threats anticipated in the future and the preparations under way to counter them.
He urged the government to explain what further steps were required to address the security challenges, saying parliament should have an opportunity to discuss how political parties and other stakeholders could contribute.
The PPP chairman said discussions should encompass terrorism, defence agreements, economic concerns and other issues affecting the country, stressing the importance of collective engagement. He maintained that the government could engage with the opposition on these matters, but opposition lawmakers also needed to use their parliamentary positions and participate in the process.
