Bilawal hails govt-opposition talks, hopes long march ends unconditionally
Bilawal hails govt-opposition talks, hopes long march ends unconditionally
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday welcomed the government’s decision to engage the opposition politically, saying he hoped the talks would lead to an unconditional end to the long march and let the country unite against terrorism.
His remarks came as the first round of talks between the government and the opposition concluded on Friday, with both sides agreeing to meet again at 2pm on Saturday in the National Assembly speaker’s chamber.
Bilawal’s statement on the govt-opposition talks
“I’m pleased that the government has accepted the PPP’s suggestion to jointly engage politically with the opposition in an effort to find political solutions to political problems,” Bilawal wrote in a post on X.
Bilawal said the challenge of terrorism had become an existential threat to Pakistan, particularly given what he described as the active support such groups received from neighbouring countries.
“I hope these talks conclude with the opposition unconditionally calling off its long march, allowing us to come together as a nation to combat the menace of terrorism and address the threats emanating from neighbouring countries,” he said.
He added that the PPP had been, and would always remain, committed to combating terrorism through all constitutional means.
What the two sides agreed in the first round
The govt-opposition talks followed weeks of escalating tension between the federal government and the PTI-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government over the party’s planned October 4 march on Islamabad. PTI had originally announced the protest for September 27 but later pushed it to October 4.
The government and the PPP have formed a six-member committee to engage the PTI. The opposition has signalled willingness to negotiate while insisting on dialogue without preconditions.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar confirmed that the two sides would meet at Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s office, while maintaining that the long march would go ahead unless the party’s concerns were addressed.
Why the march still matters
The prospect of federal intervention in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had become a major flashpoint, with federal ministers citing the province’s security situation while discussing options including governor’s rule and emergency. PTI leaders rejected those warnings and called for political engagement instead.
K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said the October 4 protest would remain peaceful, rejecting warnings of federal intervention. With the second round of talks set for Saturday afternoon, both sides now have a narrow window to defuse the confrontation before the march date.
What did Bilawal say about the govt-opposition talks?
Bilawal welcomed the government’s decision to engage the opposition, saying on X that he hoped the talks would lead to the opposition unconditionally calling off its long march.
Why does Bilawal want the long march called off?
He said terrorism had become an existential threat to Pakistan and argued the country needed to come together as a nation to combat it, rather than march on the capital.
When is the next round of talks?
The second round is scheduled for Saturday at 2pm in the National Assembly speaker’s chamber, after the first round concluded on Friday.
Is the PTI’s October 4 march still on?
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar has said the march will proceed unless the party’s concerns are addressed in the talks.
