Bilawal defends BISP in budget debate, urges focus on peace and development

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday strongly backed the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) during the National Assembly debate on the federal budget for FY2026-27, calling criticism of the scheme regrettable and saying it should be strengthened rather than reduced.

Bilawal said international institutions had acknowledged the programme’s performance and welcomed the government’s decision to raise its allocation in the coming budget. He said the PPP would continue to stand by the scheme despite political opposition.

Speaking in the House, he described BISP as part of both the country’s economic and national security framework and argued that lasting economic growth in Pakistan required greater spending on social protection. He linked national development with improvements in the conditions of workers and farmers.

Bilawal said, “Targeting the Benazir Income Support Programme is regrettable and shameful.”

He added, “The work of the Benazir Income Support Programme is acknowledged by international institutions. The world says this is a successful programme.”

Economic concerns and regional stability

During his speech, Bilawal also criticised Pakistan’s continued dependence on borrowing, saying the country was still relying on loans to finance its budget and service existing debt.

He also welcomed the recent US-Iran peace agreement and praised Pakistan’s leadership for helping support regional stability. Bilawal said Pakistan had repeatedly experienced the economic consequences of instability and uncertainty and therefore had consistently supported dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes.

He said peace was not only a moral imperative but also an economic one, arguing that regional stability helped increase investment, create jobs for young people and support national progress.

Bilawal said, “We have experienced the economic impact of uncertain situations. This is why Pakistan always promotes peace.”

He further said, “When there is stability in the region, investment increases. When there is peace, the youth get employment, and the country progresses.”

While saying the international environment appeared to be moving towards peace, he cautioned that serious regional issues remained, including security concerns on the Afghan border, what he described as India’s threats of Operation Sindoor 2.0, and New Delhi’s stance on the Indus Waters Treaty.

Federal-provincial fiscal burden and Gilgit-Baltistan

Bilawal said Pakistan had responded to these challenges through political unity and democratic practice. He stated that the federal and provincial governments had agreed to jointly absorb the burden of higher defence and national security needs despite fiscal limitations under the IMF programme.

According to Bilawal, the provinces had repeatedly cut back on development spending in order to support national economic stability and maintain the required budget surpluses. Referring to Punjab, he said the province posted a surplus of Rs700 billion last year and Rs900 billion this year, adding that these funds could have been spent in areas such as Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan but were being withheld to support the wider economy.

He also said promises made to the merged tribal districts of the former FATA had still not been fulfilled. Bilawal acknowledged the cooperation of the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that despite political differences it had agreed to contribute to national defence needs under the arrangement reached between the federation and provinces.

Later in his address, Bilawal thanked the people of Gilgit-Baltistan for their support and said the PPP had won 11 seats there. He described the people of the region as deeply patriotic and reiterated his support for their political and constitutional rights.

Bilawal said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had freed themselves from Dogra rule and joined Pakistan, but their constitutional questions remained unresolved. He called for serious consideration of the region’s longstanding demands and proposed interim representation for Gilgit-Baltistan in Parliament, adding that a durable solution would require broad national consensus and collective political agreement.