LARKANA (Staff Report) – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairperson Bilawal Bhutto has strongly criticised the ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), for its ‘political victimisation’ in Sindh ‘under the pretext of National Action Plan’.
Addressing a rally at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh to mark the 8th death anniversary of his mother, Bilawal said the federal government was using the NAP to attack provinces.
“This is not the NAP agreed to by all parties, this is the N-league action plan, whose only target is political opponents.”
“The public asks you when will targeting of provinces under NAP end. Which major terrorist or abettor has been nabbed under NAP?”
The PPP chairman questioned why the Model Town incident in 2014 was not labeled as terrorism. “Who ordered the police back then? Who was the police abetting?”
Bilawal said politics of revenge had resurfaced, with allegations of terrorism being hurled at the PPP once again.
He said only the PPP had sacrificed lives to fight terror and no one could “threaten us into silence.”
The PPP chairman said his party had been a victim of target killing for years, pointing out the murders of Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Benazir Bhutto and the “judicial murder” of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
“Even in the 2013 elections we were targeted and that killing is still continuing.”
A ceremony participated by former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other leaders including Aitzaz Ahsan, Rehman Malik and others paid rich tributes to the slain leader at her mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bux.
Renewing their vows to bring the ‘real democracy’ back to the politics in Pakistan, the PPP leaders promised the party supporters to help Bilwala Bhutto become the country’s prime minister, terming it his ‘right to rule’.
While the senior leaders stressed the need of revitalising the people-friendly agenda of party formed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, their speeches mainly focused on Dr Asim Hussain, the former petroleum minister who is facing both corruption and terrorism charges.
Since the death of Bhutto it is the first time when her husband and former President Asif Ali Zardari is not in Pakistan to attend the ceremony.
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007 while she was returning from a public meeting in Rawalpindi ahead of 2008 general elections.
Bilawal also criticised the government for “auctioning off the Pakistan Steel Mills and PIA.”
“Cut down on your luxurious spending and stop this economic assassination of the masses.
“We will raise voice against PML-N’s policies in parliament. And we will go to peoples’ court if we are ignored,” Bilawal announced.
Earlier, CM Qaim Ali Shah, addressing the rally, attacked Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, saying “one man cannot overrule the Sindh Assembly resolution.”
Shah maintained the Constitution empowered the Sindh Assembly and the National Assembly and it was undemocratic for one man (Chaudhry Nisar) to set aside a legislature’s wishes.
“We want democracy and a parliamentary system, where one man’s decision will not govern all.”
Shah said his government had been cooperating with the army chief and the premier but warned that “no advantage should be taken.”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached the mausoleum with his sisters Asifa and Bakhtawar.
The PPP has set up blood donation camps across the country as a feature of the former PPP Chairperson’s death anniversary observance, Radio Pakistan reported.
Bilawal also donated blood at a camp in Garhi Khuda Baksh.
Chairman #PPP @BBhuttoZardari donating blood at Garhi Khuda Bux on 8th martyrdom anniversary of #SMBB #SalamBenazir pic.twitter.com/upgJCxvyTL
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) December 27, 2015
