Federal govt not providing provinces help they need: Bilawal Bhutto

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples’ Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the federal government was simply not providing the provinces with the help they need to combat the coronavirus.

Speaking on the floor of National Assembly, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, “The federal government should’ve supported us. We’re in the midst of a war, and the PM expects us to fight the war on our own.”

He questioned whether the government wanted the provinces to tackle the coronavirus without the weapons (personal protective equipment).

Bilawal Bhutto lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan for his failure to lead the country amid coronavirus. He also reminded PM Imran that he was the premier of the entire country and not just of PTI.

He said, “Coronavirus has exposed the true faces of world leaders including US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and unfortunately it has also revealed our own prime minister’s ineptitude.”

The PPP chairman also further said that he had given a message of unity to the Centre. However, he alleged that the lawmakers of Sindh were targeted and abused by members of the government.

He has claimed that the federal government was distributing funds to the poor set aside for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) under its Ehsaas programme.

However, he appreciated the Ehsaas programme and said, “I must point out that whatever money you had for BISP is now being distributed as Ehsaas. Where’s your own contribution?”

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri presided over the session as Speaker Asad Qaiser has quarantined himself after he tested positive for coronavirus. Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif was not in attendance. Prime Minister Imran Khan also skipped the session.