PM–Bilawal Bhutto meeting: inside story revealed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday held a crucial meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where he conveyed his party’s reservations and grievances regarding the functioning of the coalition setup, particularly in Punjab and at the federal level, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to reports, Bilawal Bhutto complained that the PPP was not being given due importance as a coalition partner, both by the Punjab and federal governments. He told the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that his party wanted to continue working with the government as an ally, but doing so had become increasingly difficult due to what he termed as disregard for the party’s role and input.

Bilawal Bhutto also expressed disappointment that while the PPP praised Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her governance, the gesture only drew criticism from within the ruling party’s circles, sources added.

 

The meeting, which included detailed discussions on Punjab-related political matters, also saw PM Shehbaz Sharif assure the PPP leadership once again that their concerns would be addressed.

According to government sources, most of the PPP’s complaints were linked to the PML-N leadership, and the Prime Minister maintained that only party leadership-level engagement could resolve those issues.

PPP representatives also complained that they were not being taken into confidence on legislative matters in both the federal and Punjab assemblies.

Both sides reportedly agreed to maintain a ceasefire in public statements and continue regular communication on Punjab-related matters to avoid further misunderstandings.

The PPP, sources said, has decided to place the outcome of its ongoing talks with the government before the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), which will make a final decision on the future of the negotiations and the party’s stance in the coalition setup.

Also Read: PPP expresses outrage over withdrawal of Bilawal House security

A day earlier, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had expressed strong resentment toward the Punjab government over the alleged withdrawal of security from Bilawal House in Lahore, accusing the provincial administration of endangering the safety of its leadership.

According to reports, PPP leader Jamil Manj claimed that the Punjab government had removed all security personnel from Bilawal House, saying that no police officers have been deployed at the premises for the past two days. The PPP Lahore General Secretary termed the move “politically motivated and irresponsible.”

However, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari denied the allegations, insisting that security at Bilawal House had not been withdrawn. She described the reports as “false and misleading.” Similarly, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also rejected the claims, calling them “fabricated and baseless.”