Bilawal speaks out on public's growing economic pain

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday highlighted widespread public dissatisfaction with the country's economic conditions, saying that while the government claimed progress, ordinary citizens were struggling to meet daily expenses, including education and healthcare.

Speaking after inaugurating the Intensive Care Unit for children and newborns at the Children's Hospital in Larkana under the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology, he emphasised the need for political parties to adopt responsible politics and prioritise reconciliation.

Bilawal criticised the government for claiming development while ordinary citizens continued to face difficulties. He acknowledged the country's economic crisis, noting that salaried individuals were struggling to make ends meet.

"The government is making claims of development, but the common man cannot afford education and healthcare expenses," he said. "The PPP aims to ease the economic burden on citizens through policies aligned with the manifesto of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto."

On privatisation, Bilawal said the PPP favoured a public-private partnership model. "We have our own perspective, which is the public-private partnership," the PPP chairman told the media persons.

"The Sindh Agro Coal Mining Company and the Child Life Foundation are projects of the Sindh government under this model," he pointed out. He noted that The Economist magazine ranked Sindh's public-private partnership model sixth globally.

The PPP chairman also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for attacking state institutions following the arrest of its leader. "If PTI attacked institutions and nothing happened, imagine what would have happened if the PPP had done something like that," he said.

He urged PTI to abandon extremist politics and operate within democratic boundaries, citing a saying: "If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen." He warned that actions against national institutions in response to legal cases would face lawful consequences.

Bilawal reiterated that reconciliation remained his party's guiding philosophy, crediting President Asif Ali Zardari for promoting dialogue and tolerance in politics. He noted the tense situation on Pakistan's borders with India and Afghanistan, alongside rising terrorism, stressing that extremist political behaviour would elicit a strict state response.

Addressing calls for elections, Bilawal stressed that polls would be held on time and that political parties, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, should collaborate on reforms to ensure transparency and strengthen public trust in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He warned against holding elections under conditions that could foster political instability.

Highlighting Sindh's healthcare achievements, Bilawal said the province now offers unmatched medical services, including highly sensitive ICUs at Larkana, and 100% free treatment for children according to international standards. He added that the infant mortality rate in Sindh has significantly decreased since the 18th Amendment, and health centres have been established across Karachi, Nawabshah, Sukkur, Larkana, and Jamshoro.

He thanked Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif for sending a delegation to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto on the martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Health Minister Sindh Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, MPA Nida Khuhro, MNA Khursheed Ahmed Junejo, and other party leaders were present on the occasion.