Bilawal urges greater role for provinces as solution to Centre’s financial woes

GARHI KHUDA BASKH: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday urged a greater role for the provinces in responsibilities, such as tax collection, as a solution to the federal government’s financial issues.
The Bhutto scion was addressing the death anniversary programme for his mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. Benazir was assassinated in a gun-and-bomb attack near Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Saturday, after a public gathering.
The Sindh government announced a public holiday on Saturday to commemorate Benazir’s death anniversary. Foolproof security for the VVIPs, VIPs, and general public was ensured in Larkana, as over 8,500 police officers and personnel, alongside Rangers and other security agencies, were deployed at and around Bhutto’s mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.
Speaking at the event, Bilawal said the PPP was a federal party that conducted politics at the national and provincial levels with sincerity, considering the Centre’s issues and problems to be its own.
“If there is an issue of fiscal space for the federal government, then as a patriot, I would want to solve it. The PPP has its own politics and history, and as the chain binding the four provinces, we have a greater responsibility to want to solve the Centre’s issue while protecting provincial rights.
“We think that instead of attempts to snatch authority from provinces, it would be better if the federal government gives further responsibilities to the provinces. We are ready to take on further responsibilities to fix the economy and government’s issues.”
He pointed to tax collection, saying the federal government should work together with provincial governments and assign them further responsibilities in this regard to increase collection.
“We will collect better taxes than the Federal Board of Revenue and eliminate your financial crises.”
He said the government should also remove itself from the business of supplying electricity through power supply utility companies and instead hand it over to the provinces.
“We will perform better than the Centre … There are many other ways in which the PPP will work together with the federal government and solve their issues. We should all eliminate Pakistan‘s economic issues together so we can solve the people’s financial issues.”
On his mother, Bilawal said her last message was one of reconciliation. He added that reconciliation would be needed to resolve the country’s current political crisis.
The Bhutto scion said parties would have to abandon “political extremism” for the reconciliation endeavour to succeed and their supporters would have to bring politics back within bounds, adding that actions such as those of the May 9, 2023, nationwide riots or cursing heads of institutions were not the way.
He said Benazir and the PPP had never pursued the politics of revenge since it caused a loss to the country, people and the party’s own supporters.
“Political forces will have to chart a political path. The opposition parties should engage in responsible politics and the government parties should also think in the national interest.” Staff Report