Shazia Marri says viral Bilawal exchange should not be seen in isolation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party MNA and spokesperson Shazia Marri said on Friday that a viral exchange between her and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari during a press conference should not be viewed separately from their years of working together.

The interaction took place on Thursday after the PPP parliamentary party meeting at Parliament House in Islamabad. During the media talk, a journalist asked Bilawal about remarks by members of the federal government suggesting that education, health and other subjects — particularly the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) — should be returned to the Centre through a proposed 28th constitutional amendment.

Education and health were among the subjects devolved to the provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010.

While responding to the question, Bilawal said he was unaware which federal minister the journalist was referring to. Marri then intervened to clarify that the person in question was not a federal minister but Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kesoo Mal Kheal Das.

Das had reportedly said last week while speaking to reporters that the government was considering devolving BISP to the provinces.

After Marri identified him, Bilawal replied,

I am not asking you.

Marri then began apologising, but Bilawal cut in and said:

Thank you.

A video clip of the exchange later circulated widely on social media, drawing attention to the brief moment during the press conference.

Marri responds on X

In a post on X, Marri appeared to address the online reaction to the clip and urged that the incident not be taken out of context.

One interaction that made its way on social media, between people who have worked closely together for many years, cannot be viewed in isolation. PPP has always prioritised the collective good of the people and nothing should take away from our joint mission of public service.

she wrote.

Her post came in response to another social media post that said coverage of the entire press conference had shifted toward that single exchange.

The press conference itself followed the PPP’s parliamentary party meeting at Parliament House. The question that led to the exchange concerned suggestions from within the federal government about revisiting the distribution of powers under the Constitution, including whether some subjects and the BISP framework should be moved away from the current arrangement.

The matter has drawn attention because the 18th Amendment, passed in 2010, transferred several functions including education and health from the Centre to the provinces.

Marri’s statement on Friday framed the episode as one moment in a longer professional relationship and stressed the party’s broader focus on public service.