Bilawal says 'selected' PM has cost Pakistan dearly

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said that the "selected" prime minister at the helm of Pakistan's affairs has "cost" the country dearly.

"How much will this selection ultimately cost Pakistan in terms of loss of lives, damage to economy and federation?" he asked.

Bilawal also questioned who can be assigned the blame for the "consequences of actions and decisions of selected PM".

"At some point cost of keeping puppet in power out weighs ANY benefit. We’ve long crossed it," the PPP chairman said.

His remarks come soon after a pre-budget presentation of the economy made earlier in the day by the ministry of finance, following which the premier addressed the nation regarding the country's response to the coronavirus thus far and what lies ahead.

The PTI-led government and the opposition PPP along with PML-N have been heavily at odds with each other throughout the government's tenure, with a particular rise in tensions seen with the budget approaching.

As is traditionally witnessed in Pakistan, it is expected that the government will face severe resistance to the budget presentation due to be made on Friday.

Bilawal's remarks on the eve of the budget proposal mark a likely precursor to what can be expected tomorrow.

In preparation of the resistance, the government had already begun tightening the noose around the two parties.

PPP has constantly been the subject of the Centre's criticism over it's handling of the virus outbreak in Sindh whereas PML-N has landed in hot waters following the release of the sugar inquiry commission's report which has named Shehbaz Sharif's family owned mills as partly responsible for the country's sugar crisis.

Shehbaz, who is also embroiled in cases of assets beyond known sources of income as well as money laundering, had been a no show for a NAB appearance on June 2, following which the anti-graft watchdog's officials along with police raided his Model Town residence in Lahore.