THE Chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto is likely to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in London on Wednesday (20), a day after he excused himself from taking oath as the foreign minister.
The two leaders are expected to "discuss the current political situation" in Pakistan, PTI reported. According to sources, Bhutto want to discuss the non-inclusion of Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-Mengal) and Moshin Dawar in the cabinet with Nawaz.
"If all goes well in talks with Nawaz Sharif, it is expected that Bilawal may take the oath as foreign minister on his return from London,” sources said.
Bhutto, 33, did not take the oath on Tuesday (19), despite attending the cabinet oath-taking ceremony as a guest. There are speculations about his reluctance to join the government led by prime minister Shehbaz Sharif.
If confirmed, the Oxford-educated Bhutto would be one of the world's youngest foreign ministers and tasked with repairing links with the West that frayed under the leadership of Khan, who accused Washington of conspiring to oust him.
FILE PHOTO: Nawaz Sharif speaks to media after appearing before an anti-corruption commission at the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad on June 15, 2017. (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)
Bhutto is the son of former president Asif Ali Zardari and assassinated ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, as well as the grandson of another prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was executed in 1979.
The two main political parties- PPP and PML-N-have been alternatively in power when the military was not ruling the country. The powerful Army has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75 plus years of existence.
Confirming Bhutto's departure for London, PPP secretary-general Farhatullah Babar said the main purpose of meeting Sharif, is to congratulate him on the coalition government and "discuss the current political situation, reports said.
Sharif, against whom several corruption cases were launched by the government of former prime minister Imran Khan, had left for London in November 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment.
Sharif, 72, had given an undertaking to the Lahore High Court to return to Pakistan, citing his record to face the process of law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. He was also given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving seven-year imprisonment in Lahore's high-security Kot Lakhpat jail.
PPP is the second-largest party in the current coalition government. The cabinet formation was delayed for days due to differences among the coalition parties, mainly due to the initial refusal by the PPP. Later, Sharif ensured that Bhutto's party joined his government.
Sources said that Bhutto is still reluctant to join the cabinet because it may hinder his political activities ahead of elections which are likely to be held by the end of the year.
(Agencies)
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)