Islamabad, October 29,2026: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday urged National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai to use the authority delegated to him by jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to ensure opposition members participate in parliamentary committees and debate pressing national issues.
Addressing the National Assembly during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa, Bilawal called for strengthening parliament by enabling lawmakers to make collective decisions on matters of national importance.
“If parliament is powerful, we are all powerful; this is the power bestowed on us by the people of Pakistan,” he said.
Urging the speaker and the government to fulfil their responsibilities, the PPP chairman also called on opposition parties to play an active role in parliamentary proceedings.
He criticised the opposition’s boycott of committee meetings, saying the move had contributed to weakening parliament and prevented lawmakers from raising the concerns of their parties, constituents and the public on relevant platforms.
“Those who want this House to remain dysfunctional and do not want the people of Pakistan to benefit from it have succeeded,” he said, sarcastically congratulating the opposition benches.
Turning to Achakzai, Bilawal urged him to exercise the authority entrusted to him and the Senate opposition leader by Imran Khan and direct opposition members to participate in committee proceedings.
He specifically called on the opposition leader to nominate a representative to the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms, constituted following a motion moved by the PPP, and submit the name to the speaker’s office.
Recalling that the opposition had identified alleged electoral rigging as its fundamental concern, Bilawal said participation in the committee was essential to address the issue before the next general election, local government polls or by-elections.
He described engagement in the electoral reform process as an important step towards restoring parliament’s authority and credibility, questioning the purpose of establishing a committee if key stakeholders refused to participate.
Bilawal also said that parliamentary committees and briefings on terrorism, economic challenges and national security would serve little purpose without opposition representation.
Highlighting Pakistan’s evolving geopolitical situation, the PPP chairman called for the foreign, interior and defence ministers to brief parliament on emerging challenges and potential threats to the country and the region.
He referred to the closure of three key maritime routes and sought an update on developments linked to the war in Iran and their possible implications for Pakistan.
Bilawal also called for a government briefing on the recent defence agreements signed by Pakistan.
He said every parliamentarian had the right to be informed about the country’s security challenges, including terrorism and other domestic issues, as well as the measures being taken to address them and their likely consequences.
Earlier this month, Bilawal had extended an olive branch to opposition parties during a rally in Karachi, saying constructive engagement with the federal government could help pave the way for the reversal of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
He had invited opposition parties to participate in parliamentary electoral reforms and engage with the federal government.
The Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP on October 11, citing what it described as the provincial government’s “deliberate
