Bilawal to meet Karachi's disgruntled trade community tomorrow

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has decided to meet with the disgruntled trade community of Karachi to address their grievances, ARY News reported.

According to reports, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will attend a luncheon in honor of the business community tomorrow. During the event, he will listen to the concerns and issues of traders and industrialists.

The luncheon will be held at 3 p.m, and Bilawal Bhutto has invited traders and industrialists to discuss various economic challenges and explore solutions to address their problems.

The move from Bilawal Bhutto came after trade leaders voiced their grievances to Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal during his visit to Karachi.

During the meeting, prominent trade leader Atiq Mir reportedly quipped, “Give Maryam Nawaz to Sindh, and take Murad Ali Shah in return.”

The statement sparked reactions across political circles, with many interpreting it as a critique of the leadership in both provinces.

Read More: Atiq Mir explains his statement on Maryam-Murad swap

Earlier, trader leader of Karachi Atiq Mir on Monday clarified his statement about Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz and Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah’s swap.

Mir in his statement said what he said before Ahsan Iqbal was in a lighter-note and not on the performance.

Atiq Mir explained, “What major achievements has Maryam Nawaz made in Punjab for us to demand her?” He dismissed the earlier comment as light-hearted and not meant seriously.

Meanwhile, Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed criticized Atiq Mir, stating that “he has taken a ‘U-turn’, and this habit of backtracking is becoming common in Pakistan.”

She accused certain trader groups of disrespecting Sindh’s mandate, adding, “Punjab’s health sector speaks for itself, and if Maryam Nawaz wants, she can come to Sindh to learn from us.”