Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has called for Parliament to be formally briefed on the security, economic and geopolitical challenges facing the country, arguing that lawmakers should not be left in the dark about risks the government is preparing for. He made the appeal in the National Assembly in Islamabad on Thursday, 29 October.

Bilawal urged the finance, foreign affairs, defence and interior ministers to address the House together, covering regional developments, possible risks to Pakistan and the government’s response. He pointed to disruption on key maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, and to the wider fallout of the conflict involving Iran, asking what these could mean for Pakistan’s economy and security.

What he wants ministers to explain

The PPP chairman also sought clarity on Pakistan’s defence agreements and their implications, saying every parliamentarian had a right to understand the commitments the country has taken on. He further asked for a briefing on the internal security situation, including the threat of terrorism, anticipated risks and the counterterrorism preparations under way, so the House could debate the response collectively rather than in fragments.

A call for the opposition to return to committees

Bilawal paired the briefing demand with a direct appeal to the opposition, urging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to resume their seats on parliamentary committees. He said the electoral reforms committee could not do meaningful work without opposition participation, and asked opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai to use authority he said had been granted by Imran Khan to bring PTI members back. Achakzai, responding in the House, called for Parliament to be made the source of power and urged political reconciliation.

Sources: The News reported Bilawal’s remarks and Achakzai’s response; Daily The Destination covered the committee appeal and the call for ministerial briefings.