ISLAMABAD:
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and IPP Chairman Abdul Aleem Khan held a meeting in Parliament on Wednesday, during which they discussed government formation in Gilgit-Baltistan and other matters of mutual interest.
Senior PPP leader and MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was also present during the meeting. The IPP delegation included Aoun Chaudhry, Gul Asghar Baghor and Munazza Hassan.
According to sources, Bilawal and Khan agreed during the meeting that the PPP and IPP would continue to work together in GB in the future. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Bilawal thanked the people of GB for supporting the PPP in the recent elections.
Bilawal also thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the PML-N for accepting the PPP’s electoral mandate in the region. He noted that the PML-N had voted for the PPP-backed candidates for prime minister and GB Assembly speaker.
Bilawal also expressed his gratitude to the IPP for supporting the PPP in GB.
He also thanked the MWM and PTI-backed members for their support and pledged to work collectively to address the issues faced by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
“We will work with everyone to solve the problems of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said.
Commenting on regional developments, he said the PPP hoped that the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir regarding the Iran-US peace deal would be successful.
Bilawal observed that the recent conflict had imposed an economic burden on Pakistan and its people. Referring to Pakistan-Iran relations, Bilawal said ties between the two countries were strong even before the conflict and were expected to improve further.
Bilawal recalled that the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project was initiated during the presidency of Asif Ali Zardari. He added that once regional conditions improve, completion of the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project should become a priority.
Responding to a question about comments attributed to the PML-N, Bilawal said he had never made the statement that the party “steps forward in difficult times and grabs people by the throat in easy times”.
On the situation in Kashmir, Bilawal expressed concern over the recent developments.
“The situation in Kashmir has deteriorated. I never wanted to see such days in Kashmir,” he said. He added that the government’s policy on the issue was clear and that the concerns of both the public and protest groups were known.
