Bilawal Bhutto urges greater provincial role to support federal finances in Pakistan

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday called for giving provinces a greater role in areas such as tax collection and power distribution to help alleviate the federal government’s financial challenges.

The PPP is a key coalition partner in Pakistan’s current government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the death anniversary of his mother in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, former premier Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal said the party, which operates at both national and provincial levels, viewed federal fiscal issues as a shared responsibility.

“Instead of centralizing authority, the federal government should empower provinces to take on additional responsibilities,” he said, emphasizing the PPP’s role as a unifying force across Pakistan’s four provinces.

Provincial empowerment to tackle economic challenges

Bilawal highlighted tax collection as a key area where provincial governments could play a larger role, claiming the PPP could improve revenue mobilization compared with the Federal Board of Revenue. He also suggested that provincial governments should take on responsibilities currently managed by federal power utilities to improve efficiency and reduce financial strain.

“We are ready to help the federal government address economic challenges while protecting provincial rights,” Bilawal said, stressing cooperative governance as a means to strengthen the country’s financial position.

He urged parties to abandon extremism and return to responsible politics, warning that actions such as the May 9, 2023, riots had undermined national stability.

“Benazir Bhutto never pursued politics of revenge. The path forward requires all parties, in government and opposition, to act in the national interest,” he said, calling for dialogue and compromise to address the country’s political and economic crises.