Tag: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

  • Is Bilawal Bhutto getting married?

    Is Bilawal Bhutto getting married?

    Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Foreign (FM) Minister of the country, is one of the most eligible bachelors in Pakistan, whose wedding is being highly anticipated by all.

    At the age of 33, this young politician’s marital status evokes curiosity in a lot of Pakistanis about his plans to tie the nuptial knot.

    In a video shared by Arab News on Twitter, a journalist was heard asking the FM, “There are my Pakistani friends asking if you have any plans to marry.”

    Bilawal replied smilingly, “Of course, I have plans to marry.” However, he stopped short of disclosing any other details.

    The journalist again questioned, “When?” But Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had no time to answer as he moved away along with the Pakistani delegation.

    Talking about his marriage to The Current in 2019, Bilawal had said, “The right candidate will first have to win over the hearts of my sisters. I have to take them into confidence. And winning over the hearts of my sisters is a very difficult task for any girl.”

    The son of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is also brother to younger sisters Bakhtawar and Aseefa.

  • ‘Imran Khan insists that armed forces should bring him back into power’: Bilawal

    ‘Imran Khan insists that armed forces should bring him back into power’: Bilawal

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan insists that the armed forces should bring him back to power.

    “He [Imran Khan] doesn’t say how dare you remove me through a democratic means. He insists that the army, armed forces and intelligence agency should intervene to bring him back into power,” said Bilawal while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

    “If they do not, they are in the wrong. For anyone who understands the history of Pakistan and watched our turbulent history, and our struggle for democracy, they will understand how dangerous it is for us,” said the foreign minister.

    https://twitter.com/tayyabbalochpk/status/1573032882272374784?s=20&t=dyU7fSBcsBBikBNy7aH7rg

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s parliament voted out Imran Khan in a no-confidence motion on April 9, capping a month-long political crisis that gripped the nation of 220 million.

    It is the first time a Pakistani prime minister has ever been ousted by a no-confidence motion put forward by the Opposition.

    Since then, Imran Khan and his party have become more popular but have criticized the security establishment in thinly veiled words, critiquing their “neutrality”.

  • ‘Today’s India is changed’: Bilawal on getting no flood aid from India

    ‘Today’s India is changed’: Bilawal on getting no flood aid from India

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, in an interview with France 24, said that Pakistan is grateful for the global assistance it has received however the country does not want aid, it wants justice.

    He said, “Our message is that we don’t want to beg, we don’t want aid, we want justice. This is a global catastrophe as a result of global action and it requires a global situation.”

    When asked if India had offered any help and whether Pakistan had asked for any, the minister termed Pakistan-India relations as “complicated”.

    “We have a long and complicated history. unfortunately, India today is a changed India and is no longer the secular country promised by its founding fathers for all its citizens,” he said.

    He, further added that the country “is increasingly becoming a Hindu-supremacist India at the expense of its Christian and Muslim minorities not only within India but unfortunately in the disputed region of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).”

    He said Pakistan is seeing multiple challenges in the future such as health catastrophe, disease epidemics, crop shortage, livestock loss, food security, and more. However, he expressed hope saying, “Every crisis creates an opportunity and in this crisis, the opportunity is that we must build back in a more resilient way and greener way.”

    On Afghanistan and its tough rules and regulations on women, Bilawal said Pakistan had still not officially recognised the Afghan government.

    He said it would be in the Afghan government’s favour to fulfil its promises to the international community and its nation to gain legitimacy and a path to international recognition.

    When asked about the recent protest happening in Iran over a young woman’s death allegedly because of the morality police, Bilawal said he had seen the Iranian foreign minister’s response on the issue and said he trusted the neighbour to “keep to their word” for an incident inquiry despite “living in extremely difficult circumstances”.

  • ‘Here to tell Pakistan’s story to world’: PM Shehbaz arrives in New York

    ‘Here to tell Pakistan’s story to world’: PM Shehbaz arrives in New York

    After attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London on Monday, Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif arrived in the United States (US) on Tuesday ahead of his address to the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) which is to be held on September 23 in New York.

    Talking about his trip, the premier said that he is in America to “tell Pakistan’s story to the world, a story of deep anguish and pain arising out of a massive human tragedy caused by floods”.

    “In my address at UNGA and at bilateral meetings, I will present Pakistan’s case on issues that call for the world’s immediate attention,” he said.

    PM Shehbaz is also scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and will attend the reception of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today.

    On Wednesday, the prime minister will meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank (WB) President David Mills.

    Other engagements of the premier include meetings with Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob, UNGA President Csaba Korosi, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the UN Secretary-General as well as Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.

    During this visit, he reportedly may have a meeting with US President Joe Biden, however, as yet there is no confirmation of the meeting. Both PM Shehbaz and Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will attend the dinner reception hosted by President Biden for heads of state and governments of countries attending the General Assembly.

    The head of government will be in the US for five days from September 19- 24.

  • Indian PM Modi to attend regional summit along with PM Shehbaz

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Pakistani Premier Shehbaz Sharif will take part in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit which is due to take place on September 15 and 16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

    New Delhi has not yet specified whether Modi would hold bilateral talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    Earlier, in the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, all of the ministers reiterated that the heads of SCO states would attend the summit.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto, who had attended the meeting in Tashkent, said that a bilateral meeting between the Pakistani and Indian leaders is not scheduled.

    “There are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers in September”, Bilawal revealed, adding that both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation.

    The foreign minister had said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.”

    Other than this, it has been reported that Russian Putin and Chinese Xi would meet at the summit. China has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has ramped up purchases of Russian oil.

  • ‘Kaptaan dar gaya, bhaag gaya’: Bilawal takes jibe at IK over PTI member withdrawal from by-election

    ‘Kaptaan dar gaya, bhaag gaya’: Bilawal takes jibe at IK over PTI member withdrawal from by-election

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson and the incumbent Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    Reacting to the PTI candidate Shakoor Shad’s resignation for NA-246, the PPP chairperson said, “IK running away from by-elections. Kaptaan dar gaya, Kaptaan bhagaya”. (Imran Khan is scared, he has run away.)

    Bhutto took to Twitter and termed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) postponement act as “special treatment” for Khan.

    In his tweet, Bilawal asked, “How long will Khan remain a favourite”, adding that PPP candidates from Multan and Karachi are frustrated by the sudden postponement of the by-elections in constituencies of Sindh and Punjab.

    Replying to him, PTI’s Meher Bano Qureshi accused Bhutto’s party of the postponement.

    “We aren’t the ones running away. Let’s go to the polls on the 11th as scheduled. Your government put in a request for the postponement. Maybe check with the allies before tweeting”, she said. Qureshi is contesting the by-elections from NA-157, Multan.

    PPP’s Syed Ali Musa Gillani also took to Twitter to express his reservation over the postponement. He said, “We are all set for the election on Sunday. This decision of ECP will not be acceptable. It is against the constitution. The people of the constituency must not be deprived of their representation. Polling staff has been nominated stations finalised.”

    “We will challenge if any notification is issued in this regard, delaying the election last minute”, he added.

    Gillani, son of former Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gillani, is contesting against Meher Bano Qureshi, the daughter of former Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on NA-157 in Multan.

    Earlier, the ECP announced its decision to postpone the by-election in 13 constituencies. The by-elections were set to be held on September 11, September 25, and October 2.

    By-elections on nine seats of the National Assembly were scheduled to be held on September 25, with Imran Khan contesting on all of them as PTI’s candidate.

    ECP has said that the decision to postpone the by-elections had been taken after getting feedback from the Ministry of Interior according to which Pakistan Army, Rangers, and the Frontier Corps are engaged in relief work for the flood-affected people, maintaining internal security, and thwarting out terrorist activities in the country.

  • ‘Pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano!’: Bilawal on Khan for holding public rallies

    Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari berated former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan for holding public rallies as the aftermath of severe flooding keeps on unfolding across the country.

    “Pakistan is facing the biggest disaster in our history. One-third of our country is underwater! One-seventh of our citizens are affected, 35 million people. The former PM is holding concerts in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa & Punjab,” tweeted Bilawal, directing his anger towards Khan who addressed a public gathering in Gujrat, on September 2.

    The chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are busy organising concerts of the former prime minister instead of helping flood victims, accused Bilawal.

    Calling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) behaviour “shameful”, Bilawal said, “Pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano! [First, become a human being, then become a politician].”

    Addressing a public rally in Gujrat, Khan warned the government against political victimisation of PTI activists. “If this continues, PTI will come to Islamabad, and there will be no place left for them to hide,” the former Premier said.

    Khan has repeatedly said that the PTI’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside its flood relief work. In his recent speeches, Khan has made it clear that his struggle against ‘thieves’ will continue whether come what may.

    Pakistan is in the throes of devastating floods which have wreaked havoc across all four provinces. The scale of devastation has been estimated to be upwards of $10 billion.

  • PM Shehbaz postpones UAE visit to ‘focus on rescue & relief’

    PM Shehbaz postpones UAE visit to ‘focus on rescue & relief’

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has on Thursday postponed his upcoming trip to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in order to focus on relief and rescue activities for flood victims in Pakistan.

    “I was set to visit the UAE on Sept 3 on the invitation of HH the President. We mutually decided to postpone the visit so that I could focus on the ongoing rescue & relief activities,” tweeted the PM.

    “We will forever be indebted to our brothers & sisters who have stood by us in this challenge,” wrote the premier thanking the Arab country for sending the first disbursement of relief goods worth $50 million for flood victims.

    Earlier, Foreign Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari postponed his official visit to four European countries in August to focus on relief and rescue operations in disaster-hit zones.

    The Pakistan Army has also postponed Defense Day ceremony to express solidarity with flood victims.

    As a result of the devastating floods, the death toll stands at 1,191, with an estimation that nearly one-third of the country is swamped with flood waters leaving more than 30 million people displaced from their homes. Approximately 116 districts across the country have been affected.

    The unprecedented floods have wreaked havoc on the country’s infrastructure as well, with bridges, roads, dams, power lines, schools and houses damaged by raging waters.

    World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 6.4 million people are in need of urgent help while 888 health facilities have been damaged by the floods.

  • Flood Emergency: Here is how you can help

    Flood Emergency: Here is how you can help

    At least 982 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in different parts of the country, according to the most recent data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

    You can help the flood victims by donating to the following government and private organisations.

    PM Flood Relief Fund:

    All Pakistanis could join the work of helping flood victims through donations. All commercial banks and their branches could collect donations in the Prime Minister Flood Relief Fund 2022 as per the State Bank of Pakistan circular.

    Akhuwat foundation:
    The Indus Hospital

    The First Step:

    Bank Name: MCB
    Account Title: Ridha Tahir
    Account No: 1330908731003018

    For International transactions:
    IBAN Number:
    PK84MUCB1330908731003018

    Govt. of Balochistan:

    Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan:

    Women Democratic Front:

    Edhi Foundation:

    EDHI Foundation Pakistan flood relief teams are on the ground all across flood-affected areas in Pakistan. You can go to their website to make donations.

    Muslim Aid UK

  • Bilawal Bhutto most vocal MNA during PTI tenure: PILDAT

    Bilawal Bhutto most vocal MNA during PTI tenure: PILDAT

    As the 15th National Assembly concluded its fourth parliamentary year, the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) released analysis of its performance.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was the most vocal lawmaker during the fourth year of the current National Assembly before the change in government, with a talk time of one hour and 59 minutes , according to PILDAT.

    PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif came in second and spoke for one hour and 57 minutes, followed by PML-N’s Khawaja Mohammad Asif who spoke for one hour and 27 minutes.

    During this period in the House of 342 members, 174 (50.88 per cent MNAs) did not speak for a single minute in the Assembly. Out of these 174 non-vocal MNAs, 149 were male and 25 were women MNAs. 84 of these MNAs (22 per cent of the House) belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), 48 MNAs are of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and 23 are affiliated with the PPP.

    PILDAT’s comparative analysis looked at the three years and eight months’ period of the National Assembly under former prime minister Imran Khan and also looks how the PTI tenure under Imran Khan as prime minister was different from the same period in the 14th National Assembly.

    Legislative activity witnessed a decrease of 8 per cent in the fourth year of the 15th National Assembly as it passed 55 laws compared to 60 bills passed during the third year of the Assembly. 30 bills were passed during the second year while only 10 bills were passed in the first year.

    However, in a comparison of legislation between four years of 15th and 14th National Assembly, the 15th National Assembly has passed 155 bills in the four-year-period while the 14th National Assembly had passed 125 bills in its first four years.