Islamabad, Dec 25: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), distanced himself from the government’s policies on internet governance and climate change during a speech at the convocation of the University of Sindh in Jamshoro on Monday. He advocated for a ‘bill of rights’ for the digital age and stressed the importance of revisiting the country’s development spending to address the growing challenges posed by climate change.
In his address, Bhutto-Zardari emphasized the need to protect the rights of citizens in the digital age, particularly the youth. He argued that, much like the control of physical infrastructure in the past, the government now seeks to control digital resources, including bandwidth, optical fiber, and wireless internet. He pointed out that this attempt to control the internet reflected fears of the government that, if the youth harnessed the power of the internet, they would demand their rights.
Bhutto-Zardari called for the creation of a “digital bill of rights,” asserting that the internet should be treated as a fundamental right, akin to the right to a clean environment. He invited students and youth to contribute to the draft of this bill, urging them to share their suggestions through social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and X. He stressed that while he supported security protocols to combat misinformation and protect mental health, he criticized the lack of understanding among policymakers about the internet’s potential.
Highlighting the importance of access to high-speed internet, Bhutto-Zardari declared that affordable, equitable access should be recognized as a fundamental right. He pointed to the lack of engagement with the internet by many politicians, who, according to him, did not understand its significance or the challenges faced by users, such as blocked VPNs and slowed internet speeds.
Turning to climate change, Bhutto-Zardari warned of the devastating impact it would have on Pakistan, particularly in the context of the country’s location near the Himalayas, where the largest collection of snow and ice after Antarctica is found. As this snow melts, it will cause floods that will devastate the Indus basin, including Sindh. He stressed the urgency of preparing for these natural disasters, calling for swift action from the government to address the situation.
He also voiced his opposition to the six-canal project, which has sparked tensions between Sindh and the federal government. Bhutto-Zardari argued that the project was ill-conceived, given the pressing need for water availability and climate-resilient irrigation infrastructure. He criticized the government’s development plans, which he said were prepared by officials who were not considering the long-term impacts of their decisions. He pointed out that those making such plans were often elderly and out of touch with the needs of future generations.
Concluding his remarks, Bhutto-Zardari urged the younger generation to take charge of the country’s future. He expressed dissatisfaction with the current approach to climate change and development, calling for a more forward-thinking strategy that prioritized the well-being of future generations.
