al Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said the party would withhold its support for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government until its concerns, including over the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, were addressed.
Speaking to journalists at Parliament House, Bilawal questioned whether such treatment was appropriate for an ally, whether in the context of the AJK elections or the political agreements the PPP had reached with the PML-N before electing the prime minister. He said the PPP raised issues with the government in every budget for the sake of Pakistan and the provinces, asking whether the PML-N was addressing any of those concerns.
"My party has decided that the PPP's cooperation, coordination and legislation with the PML-N on general issues cannot continue until our legitimate concerns are addressed," he warned. The presser came moments after Bilawal met National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas at Parliament House.
The PML-N and the PPP have been at loggerheads ever since the start of the AJK elections, with the latter repeatedly targeting its ally and accusing it of rigging the polls. Bilawal also noted that PPP members would not vote for government legislation if their reservations were not addressed, though he clarified that the party could extend cooperation where matters of national importance were involved.
Responding to a question, Bilawal said the government had not contacted the PPP or its parliamentary committee regarding its objections, adding that political parties should sit together and resolve their differences through dialogue. He also stated that he was not focused on any in-house change and wanted Parliament to play its constitutional role.