Bilawal using names of martyrs to beg for votes: Palijo

Criticises PPP leadership for failing to take action against terrorists involved in attack

HYDERABAD: As Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) remembers the tragedy of October 18, 2007, by carrying out a rally in Karachi, Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) criticised its leadership for failing to do justice with the victims and said that party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto was using the names of the martyrs to beg for votes.

"During its nine years in the government, the PPP leadership has not followed for once the terrorists involved in the Karsaz incident," said the QAT's president, Ayaz Palijo, on Sunday. "Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is using [the] names of the martyrs [of Karsaz tragedy] to beg [for] votes."

He censured the PPP leadership for failing to take action against the terrorists involved in the attack and instead sharing power with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in its previous government.

He accused the MQM-led local government in 2007 for colluding in the attack by shutting down the street lights as the rally approached Karsaz. "The PPP leaders forgot the purpose for which its workers sacrificed their lives as they remained focused on corruption [alone]," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2016.