Bilawal calls for political dialogue amid economic woes

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has called for inter-party dialogue to tackle the pressing issue of economic crisis, stressing that without parties coming to the table, the nation’s problems will persist.

Speaking at a seminar in Lahore on former prime minister and PPP's founding father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's legacy and history on Sunday, Bilawal lamented the prevalent politics of animosity even in the face of economic woes.

In a veiled reference to PTI's founding chairman Imran Khan, he said that an attempt at reconciliation was recently made by President Asif Ali Zardari towards "a politician who does not think beyond himself," only to have it met with vitriol. "This is nothing but politics of hatred."

Bilawal criticised the perpetuating hatred in politics, asserting that the pressing issues confronting the nation required constructive engagement between political factions.

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Bilawal's plea for political dialogue comes at a time when various parties, each with their own terms and viewpoints, have shown varying degrees of readiness to sit down at the table.

However, despite indications of willingness from ruling factions, the PTI, with its leader behind bars, has seemingly oscillated between shrugging off discussions with "three parties" -- namely PML-N, PPP, and MQM-P -- and clamouring for an end to the alleged persecution.

Speaking during Sunday’s seminar, Bilawal also addressed the historic Supreme Court ruling on the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference and hailed it as a milestone.

He added that the apex court’s acknowledgement that the former prime minister’s execution was indeed a judicial murder was a stark reminder of the urgency for judicial reform.

He called for systemic and historical correction through judicial reforms, recalling that PPP's commitment to such reforms was also outlined in its Charter of Democracy.

The seminar concluded with a resolution urging the declaration of ex-PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as a national hero and advocating for his portrait to be featured on currency notes.

The event was attended by a multitude of party stalwarts, including senior journalists Sohail Waraich and Fahd Husain, former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, and PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan.