Story highlights

• PPP leader calls for forming a committee to ascertain what causes losses in PIA
• Says the sense of deprivation in Balochistan should be ended to develop the province
• Claims current political scenario is a challenge for Maulana Fazlur Rehman

The PPP would seek ministries if the situation arises or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asks for assistance in handling government matters, veteran PPP leader Khurshid Shah has said.

“What difference does it make,” he said when asked about the PPP’s decision to be part of the government without being part of the federal cabinet in an interview with Shaukat Piracha on his show Rubaroo that was aired on Aaj News on Friday.

In the past, Shah has served as the opposition leader in the National Assembly and called for dialogue between political parties. His party is part of the ruling alliance that elected the PML-N President as the prime minister of the country.

But his party members have decided not to take ministries unlike during the 16 months when the Pakistan Democratic Movement ruled the government after the ouster of Imran Khan in April 2022.

“We have the president post and the Senate chairman seat is with us. We are with them [PML-N]. If needed, we will have a conversation on that. The people will say we were after ministries. We want to prove we want democracy.”

He reiterated that the party would take ministries if needed and think about it. “If needed we will come and not leave them alone.”

But the onus is on PM Shehbaz to decide members for his political and economic teams, Khurshid said.

Will PPP support privatisation of PIA?

When asked whether the PPP would support the privatisation of the Pakistan International Airlines, he explicitly did not endorse it and called for the formation of a committee to ascertain reasons why the national flag carrier had a downfall.

“We have a manifesto. We cannot improve anything by selling it. We can improve it by continuing to improve it,” he said and asked whether the PIA was better or not.

“Great people fly PIA with,” he quoted the national flag carrier’s famous slogan. “Why cannot it be? You have worth Rs800 billion of debt and the profit goes into paying debts. So waive off this debt. When you sell it no one will pay debt. So do it and see whether the PIA gives you the profit or not. This is the only airline which still has six million passengers and the sixth largest populated country in the world.”

The PPP leader was of the view that the airline had top destinations in the world. “Form a committee and see why there was a loss and see from the start you will have a reason.”

Reconciliation between political parties

“We should sit and work for reconciliation,” he said while responding to a query related to the PTI’s protest against alleged rigging in general elections.

He added that the PPP formed a committee related to the ECP in 2010 that decided to have “one man one vote” to end several votes cast by a single person.

Khurshid cited that the PTI was under training and would learn with time, saying that the PPP has seen ups and downs in its political journey but never fought on the streets.

“We will make the PTI understand and take them along with us. When [military dictator] General Zia sentenced Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, did anyone think the PPP would come to power twice? So they [PTI] should also think. They have the right to peaceful protest.”

He said that the PTI has not experienced what the PPP had in the past, adding that former prime minister Khan has always spoken about himself.

He went on to add that the PPP would play a “role of the bridge” where the government runs the country and the opposition has its right to have its point of view.

MQM-P’s vote and demand

The PPP would sit with the MQM-P to work on the issues raised by the party, he said and expressed the party’s willingness to gradually improve them.

He added that amendments or the local government rules should be the same in the country.

All mattes were not resolved by fighting, Khurshid said and mentioned the party’s long struggle to seek justice from courts related to the sentencing of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

A fight has only damaged the institution, he said.

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End sense of deprivation in Balochistan

In the interview, the host mentioned Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir’s visit to Balochistan where he said that the success of the province was the success of Pakistan. Moreover, the province is now governed by the PPP.

“Firstly, their pain should be heard and we know that it is a sense of deprivation that should be ended,” he said when asked what the PPP will do for the province’s development.

Khurshid mentioned the party’s decision to start Agaaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan and give top priority to the province in the National Finance Commission Award.

“We don’t accept Imran Khan’s incarceration or release. We want a free trial. This is not good for anyone, neither for the establishment nor for the people and the judiciary.”

He added that everyone will have to sit together and discuss the province’s future. Khurshid said that the province should have their due representation in the federation. “They cannot have space with 16 seats. Until you address the country’s 50% population how that province will progress.”

When asked, he said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman should see where is vote bank is.

“This is a challenge for Maulana sb. He should think.”