Cabinet not on same page as Asad Umar disagreed, Qureshi agreed with me: Bilawal

Finance minister took issue with my English, even though FM spoke in English, says PPP chairman

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Finance minister took issue with my English, even though FM spoke in English, says PPP chairman. Photo: File

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday claimed the federal cabinet is not on the same page as Finance Minister Asad Umar criticised his speech while Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi agreed with him.

"Finance minister called my speech ‘mulk dushman’ even though foreign minister agreed with everything I said," Bilawal tweeted.

"So the cabinet is clearly not on the same page. He took issue with my English, even though FM spoke in English. General Umar’s offspring are in no position to lecture ghairat (integrity)," he added.

A day earlier while addressing the National Assembly, the PPP chairman said India committed "naked aggression" since 1971. He was referring to recent Indian incursions into Pakistan that led to tensions between the two countries.

Bilawal said the opposition demonstrated responsibility amid escalating tensions with India, and Prime Minister Imran Khan was not declared a "security risk" for establishing peace with the neighbouring country.

Lamenting the premier's absence from an in-camera meeting of parliamentary parties heads, he said PM Imran kept his ego above national security at such a moment as well.

During his address, Bilawal was critical of the prime minister's decision of "returning the Indian pilot so soon" and stressed it was done without "reciprocation from India or guarantees of de-escalation".

The PPP chairman also opposed the government's decision not to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting. According to Bilawal, not attending the meeting was synonymous to missing the opportunity for engagement and to use the platform to get Pakistan’s message to the Muslim world.