Bilawal urges politicians to unite against crises facing Pakistan

• Bilawal says Imran can talk to terrorists but not lawmakers. 
• "We also don't feel like talking to them," he says.
• Says political parties will have to come on a common agenda.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday urged all the political parties to come on a single page to overcome the crises that the country is facing right now.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Constitution of 1973 at Parliament House, Bilawal shared that Central Executive Committee (CEC) of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had decided to form a committee and assign it the task to evolve consensus among stakeholders on devising a code of conduct for resolving all issues and for moving forward.

The PPP chairman said the committee would approach all the political parties for devising rules of the game to contest polls and smooth functioning of the country.

Attacking the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Bilawal claimed that the non-serious thinking of the Imran Khan-led party was damaging not only for the opposition but also for the entire country and its democracy.

"He [PTI chief Imran Khan] says that he can sit with terrorists for talks but not with parliamentarians," lamented Bilawal.

The foreign minister said the stubborn attitude of Imran Khan and his non-cooperation was damaging the interests of the masses. He said for the smooth running of the country, rules of the games must be devised and all stakeholders must agree on it for smooth functioning of the country. He urged people's representatives to evolve consensus on a code of conduct and implement it.

Lamenting the behaviour of Imran Khan, the minister observed that the PTI chairman was ready to hold negotiations with anti-state elements but was "allergic" to sit with fellow politicians. He said the Constitution guaranteed the rights to people, journalists and others, adding the 1973 Constitution had provided freedom of expression and right to vote to ordinary people.

He said before that only rich and powerful were given the right to vote. The Constitution of 1973 forced the powerful elites to approach the common man to beg for votes, he said, adding that former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto brought a revolution that overpowered the common masses.