Bilawal asks Qureshi to retract statement against PPP or resign.

KARACHI: Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday demanded that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi retract his statement accusing the Sindh government of fanning provincialism or tender resignation.

The PPP chairman was responding to comments made by Qureshi during a special Senate session, wherein the latter had lashed out at the PPP benches, saying that a party which once 'stood for the federation now reeks of provincialism'. "This is not the PPP of the past, which was a symbol of the federation. Today, I sense the roots of provincialism in the party," the foreign minister had said.

Bilawal called the foreign minister's comments a 'slap on the face'. "When I talk about Sindh, they accuse me of playing the Sindh card. But when I talk about Balochistan or KP or Gilgit-Baltistan, they don't accuse me of playing the provincial card?" he wondered. "I want that minister (Qureshi) to take back his statement. If he can't take it back, then I demand his resignation. Unacceptable!" Bilawal said at a press conference held hours after the Senate session. "We want to save our country and this man is talking about proving political mettle in Sindh? Not everything is about politics. We should avoid playing up these debates during a global health crisis," he went on to say. "My efforts are in front of the people. When I got the chance on Monday [during the National Assembly session], I put forward my view in front of the people, and look at how we were abused in return. It's sad," he added.

Bilawal said Prime Minister Imran Khan should have attended the National Assembly session held on Monday to debate country's tackling of the coronavirus outbreak. "PM Imran should have attended and explained his point of view because he is the leader of the government [...] he wants workers, labourers to go to work but will not step outside to fulfill his basic duty," he remarked.

Commenting on leader of the opposition Shehbaz Sharif's absence, the PPP chairman said that the PML-N leader's absence is justified as he has pre-existing health conditions.

Bilawal also expressed his dismay that the judiciary has not provided justice to the martyrs of May 12 carnage in...