The National Assembly (NA) session on June 30 became heated after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi engaged in a fiery debate.
Bilawal Bhutto’s speech
Bilawal Bhutto has requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to direct the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to tap Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood’s Qureshi’s calls. He also accused FM Qureshi of conspiring against the then sitting prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani during the government of PPP.
“When he was our Foreign Minister, he used to campaign in the world to oust Yousaf Raza Gilani and to become Prime Minister himself,” Bilawal said in a speech that has sent shockwaves throughout Pakistan.
Bilawal said Prime Minister Imran should be advised to “see-through” Qureshi, adding that he had known the foreign minister since his childhood. “I have heard him say jiye Bhutto and agli bari, phir Zardari to protect his ministry,” he said.
He also questioned Qureshi’s role as foreign minister, holding him responsible for being involved in making alleged deals on Kashmir. “When the United States is withdrawing from Afghanistan, he should be focusing on arranging a phone call with President Joe Biden due to Pakistan’s strategic importance. It is a matter of shame that our premier doesn’t even get a phone call,” he added.
Bilawal claimed that the government “rigged” yesterday’s vote on the federal budget. He said the final vote on the budget was what really mattered and that some treasury members had exhibited “irresponsible behaviour” at the time, lamenting the fact that members from the opposition benches were also missing.
FM Qureshi hits back
Responding to Bilawal, the foreign minister said if the PPP chairperson knew him well, he too had known Bilawal since he was a baby. “I have known him since he used to stand in the corner and get scoldings. I know him as well as his baba (Asif Zardari),” he said.
He said the PPP leadership tended to make the “child” (Bilawal) read out from pre-written scripts and he got switched on and off on auto. The foreign minister said it would take some time before Bilawal learned politics.
“He mentioned Gilani. At least they shouldn’t have made him the opposition leader in the Senate through covert deal. Gilani is the leader of the opposition today through government votes. Do some soul-searching, Bilawal, you will see the reality,” he added.
Final Words
The exchange of sarcastic remarks between PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the National Assembly has become a topic of discussion in political circles and social media.
It would have been better if Bilawal Bhutto criticized FM Qureshi in the veil of politeness and mutual tolerance to which Shah Mehmood Qureshi would have been happy to respond.
