PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he does not support banning any political party, distancing his party from calls within the federal government to outlaw PTI over what ministers have described as an “anti-state” and “anti-army” narrative. Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Bilawal said that while he opposes proscribing political groups, the party governing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must “improve its conduct”.
He cautioned that interference in ongoing counterterrorism operations could create serious complications, and warned that if any political party is found facilitating militants, then the imposition of governor’s rule in KP could become unavoidable. The debate intensified after State Minister for Law Aqeel Malik said the federal government was seriously examining the option of governor’s rule due to the province’s security and governance issues. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, backed by PTI, publicly challenged the government to enforce it.
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Bilawal’s remarks come amid reports that PTI plans to reach out to the PPP through the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-Pakistan. Sources say the PPP will be invited to a two-day national conference aimed at initiating broader political dialogue, while the ruling PML-N will not be part of the gathering. According to insiders, PTI has tied any talks with the government to a meeting between allied leaders — including Mahmood Achakzai — and imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan.
The PPP chairman also spoke about the deteriorating security situation, saying Pakistan faces a “war-like” environment in KP. He welcomed the prospect of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz contesting elections in Sindh, saying all parties should take part in the provincial polls.
Bilawal warned that threats emanating from Afghanistan were materialising, with militants crossing the border to carry out attacks inside Pakistan. He said the armed forces were actively confronting the danger. Criticising internal political tensions, he accused certain parties of trying to damage state institutions and described one such group as behaving like a “political dajjal”, urging them to correct their conduct and avoid creating rifts between the public and the armed forces.
