Says terrorism poses existential threat, hopes talks allow nation to unite against the menace
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Photo: File
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday welcomed the government’s decision to engage the opposition to find political solutions, saying he hoped the talks would lead to an unconditional end to the long march and allow the country to unite against terrorism.
His remarks came as the first round of talks between the government and opposition concluded on Friday, with the two sides agreeing to meet again at 2pm on Saturday in the National Assembly (NA) speaker’s chamber.
“I’m pleased that the government has accepted the PPP’s suggestion to jointly engage politically with the opposition in an effort to find political solutions to political problems,” he wrote in a post on X.
I’m pleased that the government has accepted the PPP’s suggestion to jointly engage politically with the opposition in an effort to find political solutions to political problems.
The challenge of terrorism has become an existential threat to Pakistan, particularly given the…
— Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (@BBhuttoZardari) October 2, 2026
Bilawal said the challenge of terrorism had become an existential threat to Pakistan, particularly given the active support he said such groups received from neighbouring countries.
“I hope these talks conclude with the opposition unconditionally calling off its long march, allowing us to come together as a nation to combat the menace of terrorism and address the threats emanating from neighbouring countries,” he said.
Bilawal added that the PPP had been, and would always remain, committed to combating terrorism through all constitutional means.
Read: TTAP accuses Sherry of breaching talks code as PPP leader calls for end to long march
The talks came after weeks of escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government over the party’s planned October 4 march on Islamabad. PTI had initially announced the protest for September 27 but later postponed it to October 4, while the Centre had increasingly discussed constitutional options, including governor’s rule and emergency, citing the deteriorating security situation in the province.
The government and PPP subsequently formed a six-member committee to engage the PTI, with the opposition also signalling willingness to negotiate but insisting on dialogue without preconditions. Barrister Gohar confirmed that the two sides would meet at Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s office, while maintaining that the long march would proceed unless the party’s concerns were addressed.
The prospect of federal intervention in K-P had become a major point of contention, with federal ministers citing the province’s security situation, while PTI leaders rejected governor’s rule or emergency and called for political engagement instead. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also said the October 4 protest would remain peaceful and rejected warnings of federal intervention.
