ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday expressed confidence that his party would form the next government in Gilgit-Baltistan. The move comes as mounting PPP reservations over key budget figures and unresolved fiscal issues reportedly prompted a delay in Bilawal’s budget speech.
Speaking informally to the media at the Parliament House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he was confident about the party’s prospects of forming the government in Gilgit-Baltistan. His remarks came in response to a question following recent electoral developments in Gilgit-Baltistan, where four independent members joined the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party.
Responding to a question on reports of PPP’s concerns and reservations about the federal budget for 2026-27, the PPP chairman said that a meeting had taken place earlier in the day with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss budget-related matters. “We met Ishaq Dar today regarding the budget and further meetings will also take place,” Bilawal said.
Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss issues related to the federal budget for 2026-27, amid PPP’s reservations regarding certain budgetary figures and prior fiscal commitments.
According to sources, Bilawal had deferred his budget speech owing to concerns over certain fiscal matters and would decide on the timing and content of his address after receiving a detailed briefing from two party leaders. They reviewed budget-related matters and discussed concerns raised by the PPP over figures contained in the budget documents.
According to sources, the PPP delegation conveyed the party’s concerns on changes in budgetary figures reflected in the budget documents and sought clarification on issues that had been discussed during pre-budget negotiations between the government and its coalition partner. Sources said the PPP leaders informed Dar that the party had agreed to support grants linked to defence expenditures in view of the security environment but had not endorsed allocations that could be perceived as serving political interests.
The delegation also questioned discrepancies between figures published in the budget documents and those previously shared with the party during consultations. According to sources, Dar assured the PPP leadership that its reservations would be addressed and that concerns raised by the party would be reviewed in consultation with the relevant authorities.
In a related development, Bilawal Bhutto held a meeting with PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to discuss the province’s political, organisational and administrative affairs.
PPP Central Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon were also present during the meeting. During the meeting, they reviewed the political and organisational situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The governor KP briefed the PPP chairman on wheat shortage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting Bilawal to express concern over the situation. Bilawal directed the governor to play an active role in addressing the crisis. Bilawal further advised the governor to take all political parties on board in raising Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s issues and pursuing the province’s interests collectively.
Bilawal reiterated that he would continue to raise his voice for the rights of the people of FATA and PATA. The meeting also included a briefing on the law & order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ongoing efforts aimed at maintaining peace in the province.
