Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has criticised Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over the province’s security situation, saying his party is prepared to fight terrorists if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government is unwilling to do so.
“If the chief minister of K-P is not ready to fight terrorists, then PPP is ready to fight them, and that is why we supported the government’s decision to impose governors’ rule,” Bilawal said on Sunday.
He made the remarks while speaking to the media during a visit to the Karsaz Monument on the anniversary of the Karsaz bombing. He also defended the imposition of governor’s rule, citing security challenges in the province.
Bilawal Calls for Unified Policy Against Terrorism
Bilawal said Pakistan was once again facing terrorism across multiple regions, describing the threat as extending “from Khyber to Khuzdar”.
Recalling the PPP government’s response to militancy after coming to power in 2008, he said the party had launched military operations in Swat and other parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to fulfil a commitment made by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
“When the PPP formed the government in 2008, we launched operations in Swat and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and defeated the terrorists,” he said.
Bilawal argued that Pakistan was now confronting the consequences of earlier decisions to release militants who had been held in the country’s prisons.
He also recalled Benazir Bhutto’s final public address, in which she had warned about attempts to undermine Pakistan’s control over Swat.
The PPP chairman urged political leaders to condemn terrorism unequivocally and avoid using security incidents for political point-scoring. He said the fight against terrorism was no longer the responsibility of a single party but a collective national challenge.
PPP Defends Support for Governor’s Rule in K-P
Bilawal maintained that the PPP had supported governor’s rule because of concerns about the province’s security situation.
His remarks came amid political disagreements over the emergency measures and the role of the PTI-led provincial government in addressing militancy.
The PPP chairman said the country needed a unified counterterrorism strategy, with political parties setting aside their differences to confront the threat.
He also criticised the handling of past terrorism-related incidents, alleging that such attacks had not always been investigated seriously. Referring to the Karsaz bombing, he claimed that evidence had been washed away.
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Bilawal Urges Political Reconciliation
Alongside his criticism of the provincial government, Bilawal called for greater political reconciliation and consensus, citing Benazir Bhutto’s efforts to strengthen democracy despite differences with political opponents.
He referred to her engagement with parties that had previously opposed her and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, including during the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy.
Bilawal also cited the 18th Amendment as an example of political consensus, saying it had been passed after political parties came together to deliberate and reach agreement.
He argued that the current political climate required leaders to find common ground, implement the government’s manifesto and introduce measures to provide relief to the public.
PPP Reiterates Position on New Provinces
Responding to a question about the creation of new provinces, Bilawal reiterated that the PPP supported the establishment of provinces through constitutional and legal procedures.
However, he said such a move could not proceed without the endorsement of President Asif Ali Zardari.
He questioned why new provinces were not being created in areas where political consensus already existed, citing Gilgit-Baltistan as an example. He added that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was aware of the PPP’s position on the issue.
Bilawal Responds to Fazlur Rehman’s Criticism
Bilawal also addressed criticism from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying the opposition leader had the right to question government policies.
However, he argued that Fazlur Rehman should also condemn terrorism unequivocally, noting that members of his own party had been killed in militant attacks.
Bilawal said terrorism should not become a tool for political manoeuvring and called for a clear, united stance against militant violence.
He further maintained that whenever the PPP had imposed an emergency, it had acted within the framework of the Constitution and the law.
The PPP chairman said his party’s decisions reflected its stated commitment to democratic principles, while reiterating that national security required cooperation across the political spectrum.
