Bilawal Urges PTI Lawmakers to Rejoin Parliamentary Committees

ISLAMABAD: (News Desk) – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to end their boycott of parliamentary committees, particularly the proposed electoral reforms committee, warning that their absence is weakening parliament and limiting public representation.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, Bilawal called on Leader of the Opposition Mahmood Khan Achakzai to use his authority to persuade opposition lawmakers to resume participation in parliamentary committees. He said both the government and opposition had a responsibility to ensure parliament functioned effectively.

“The responsibility of activating this House also rests with the opposition,” Bilawal said, warning that parliament would remain weak if elected representatives failed to fulfil their responsibilities.

He said the opposition’s absence from committees, including the finance committee, had deprived constituents of representation in important policy discussions. He urged lawmakers to raise public concerns through parliamentary forums instead of boycotting them.

Referring to PTI founder Imran Khan’s influence over opposition leadership in the National Assembly and Senate, Bilawal asked Achakzai to use his position to bring opposition members back into the parliamentary process.

The PPP chairman specifically called on the opposition to nominate members to the proposed electoral reforms committee. He said parliament had already adopted a resolution for its formation and urged the opposition to submit its nominations to the relevant office.

Bilawal said the committee could provide a forum to examine PTI’s allegations of electoral manipulation and address concerns ahead of the next general elections, local government polls and by-elections. He argued that meaningful electoral reforms required participation from all political parties rather than a boycott.

The PPP chairman also called for a comprehensive briefing in parliament on Pakistan’s evolving geopolitical, economic and security situation. He urged the finance, foreign affairs, defence and interior ministers to inform lawmakers about regional developments, potential risks and the government’s preparations to deal with emerging challenges.

Highlighting disruptions and difficulties affecting important maritime routes, Bilawal referred to the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, alongside other regional developments. He called for an assessment of their possible implications for the global and Pakistani economies, particularly in connection with the conflict involving Iran.

He also sought a briefing on Pakistan’s defence agreements and their potential implications, stressing that all parliamentarians had the right to understand the challenges facing the country and the government’s response.

Bilawal further called for parliament to be informed about the internal security situation, particularly the threat of terrorism. He said lawmakers should receive details of anticipated threats, ongoing counterterrorism preparations and any additional measures required to address security challenges.

He maintained that parliament should provide a platform for collective discussion on terrorism, defence, economic pressures and foreign policy. While the government should engage with the opposition on these matters, he said opposition lawmakers must also fulfil their responsibilities by participating in parliamentary proceedings.