Bilawal, PM Shehbaz 'begging' for country's sake: Shujaat Hussain

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has slammed the ‘critics’ for calling Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto ‘beggars’, saying that both were ‘begging’ for country’s sake, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

In a statement, the former prime minister slammed the opposition for accusing Pakistan’s top leadership – PM Shehbaz Sharif and FM Bilawal Bhutto – of ‘begging’.

Shujaat Hussain noted that they were ‘begging’ for the country’s sake. “They [prime minister and foreign minister] were begging for rehabilitation of flood victims and economic development,” he added.

“We will also participate with them in this good deed,” Shujaat Hussain said, asking the ‘critics’ to take steps for the sake of the nation.

It is pertinent to mention here that PM Shehbaz Sharif co-hosted an international conference on ‘Climate Resilient Pakistan’ in Geneva along with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The conference brought together governments, leaders from the public and private sectors and civil society to support the people and the government of Pakistan to deal with the enormous challenge of post-flood reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Pakistan secured over $10 billion in pledges from international financial institutions, donor agencies and development partners for the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction of flood-affected areas, during the International Conference.

The major pledges made at the conference, co-chaired by Pakistan and the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, included $4.2 billion from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), $2 billion from the World Bank, $1.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), $1 billion from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and $1 billion from Saudi Arabia, according to the state news agency.