Islamabad, December 6, 2024: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari commended a multi-party conference (MPC) convened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to address the worsening law and order situation in Kurram. At the same time, he criticized the PTI-led provincial government for engaging in “extremist politics” at the expense of the people.
The conference, hosted by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi at the Governor House in Peshawar, brought together representatives from major political parties, including PPP, JUI-F, ANP, PML-N, QWP, and JI. The PTI, however, chose to boycott the event. A declaration issued after the meeting highlighted grim statistics: over 70 security personnel were martyred in 2024, and more than 200 lives were lost in armed clashes in Kurram district.
Bilawal took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to praise Kundi’s initiative, emphasizing the importance of political dialogue to address KP’s challenges. “Engaging all political parties to create consensus is essential for resolving the political, economic, and security issues faced by Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
He criticized the PTI government for neglecting its responsibilities, stating, “The executive authority has not spent a single day addressing these issues. Instead, they have prioritized their extremist politics, ignoring the needs of the people.” He also expressed disappointment over PTI’s decision to skip the conference, noting, “The people of Pakhtunkhwa deserve better, and we will continue to fight for their rights, with or without the KP government’s support.”
PTI defended its absence, accusing the PPP of working with the federal government to have PTI banned and citing a resolution passed by the Balochistan Assembly in this regard. The party also claimed it held a legitimate mandate in KP and was fulfilling its duties effectively.
