KARACHI – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday urged the federal government to provide financial assistance to flood victims through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), citing past precedents during major floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi, Bilawal said the Sindh government had formally requested that the federal government disburse aid to flood-hit families via BISP to ensure transparency. “In previous floods and during the COVID crisis, the federal government used BISP to help the affected people. The same mechanism should be adopted again,” he stressed. He thanked the government for waiving electricity bills in affected areas but urged more robust measures.
Bilawal announced that Sindh will support small farmers through the Benazir Hari Card, offering subsidies on fertilizers like DAP and urea, and assistance to wheat growers to boost domestic production and reduce imports. “Instead of spending Pakistan’s money on wheat imports, we should invest in our farmers and aim for exports,” he said, urging the federal government to negotiate with the IMF to provide relief on wheat procurement prices and agricultural taxes.
Highlighting the severe losses suffered by farmers in southern Punjab, Bilawal praised the Punjab government for announcing compensation but questioned the pace of immediate relief efforts. He demanded that BISP relief be extended to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan, pointing out that the highest number of BISP beneficiaries are in Punjab.
The PPP chairman also called on the federal government to declare an agricultural emergency, seek assistance from international donors, and provide tax relief for farmers. “It is the federal government’s responsibility to appeal for global aid in times of disaster,” he said, recalling that past governments made such appeals to secure larger volumes of international assistance.
Bilawal further discussed Karachi’s infrastructure challenges, praising the federal government for fulfilling commitments to Sindh’s development projects despite economic constraints. He also welcomed the recent Pakistan–Saudi Arabia defense agreement, calling it a positive step for regional stability, and expressed hope that the UN’s renewed focus on Palestine would strengthen the global push for a just resolution.
On political matters, Bilawal said the PPP remains open to dialogue on constitutional amendments but said that the PML-N has yet to share any draft proposals. He reiterated PPP’s stance on greater provincial autonomy and NFC Award reforms, insisting that tax collection and resources must be fairly distributed to provinces.
Touching on Balochistan, he condemned rising terrorism and accused India of backing certain nationalist groups.
“There is no military solution to Balochistan’s issues, but terrorism must be defeated,” he asserted.
Bilawal also addressed public concerns over pension cuts, clarifying that no deductions have been made and directed the Sindh chief minister to meet with protesting pensioners to resolve their grievances.
The PPP chairman reaffirmed his party’s commitment to support farmers, strengthen provincial rights and working with the federal government to ensure transparent disaster relief and long-term agricultural reforms.
