PPP’s twin surprise! Zardari, Bilawal to run for parliament

PPP chairman asks supporters to prepare for ‘long march’

SUKKUR: PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday sprang the ‘surprise’ he had kept political pundits guessing about, and his supporters waiting for, with bated breath since his homecoming on Friday.

“PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and I will contest by-elections and join the [incumbent] parliament,” he said while speaking at a huge public meeting organised in connection with the 9th death anniversary of slain party chairperson Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bux.

“I will run for the seat of my sister Azra Pechuho [from Nawabshah], while Bilawal will contest the by-poll from Larkana [for the seat of Ayaz Soomro],” Zardari said as the euphoric crowd cheered and shouted ‘Jeay Bhutto’.

Zardari did speak about the four demands spelled out by his son, but he did not say his party would mount street agitation to press for them. “Our four demands are democratic and in the country’s larger interest,” he said. “We reserve the right to protest, if our demands are not met,” he added. “We will go to parliament and to bar associations to rally support for our demands.”

Bilawal had given the government until Dec 27 to meet his four demands or else brace up for the PPP juggernaut. Political observers anticipated that Zardari would announce the launch of an anti-government movement, but it is evident from Zardari’s tone and tenor that he is no mood to rock the boat.

Nonetheless, he did criticise Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his policies. “You claim that your party is much popular in Punjab, but I want to tell you that it’s a wrong perception. Today’s educated Punjab cannot be lured by distributing laptops,” he said while directly addressing Premier Sharif. “We don’t want to snatch power from you, rather we want to teach you a lesson.”

He also came down hard on the Punjab government for its flagship Orange Line Metro Train. “Trains are good for the country, but we need more planes, because Pakistani expats prefer to travel by PIA.” He slammed the government decision to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar. “You’re importing costly gas from Qatar, while we had signed an agreement with our neighbour Iran for the import of [affordable] oil and gas.”

He also criticised the government’s India policy, especially Premier Sharif’s personal ties with his Indian counterpart. “Mian Sahib, [Narendra] Modi is busy in shedding blood in Occupied Kashmir, while you are strengthening personal relations with him. Don’t you care about the sentiments of Kashmiris?”

Zardari hit out at Sharif’s style of governance comparing it with monarchical rule. “When I had surrendered my powers to parliament, you extended felicitations to me. But Mian Sahib, it didn’t mean that I had surrendered powers to pave the way for you to become a Mughal emperor.”

He blamed Sharif for defacing democracy as, according to him, more than 350 industrial units are shut in Faisalabad alone. “I’ve decided to come to parliament along with my son to hold you accountable,” he said. “We hold no personal grudge against you. Our war against you is for the sake of Pakistan and its people,” he added. “Mian Sahib, you have failed to run the country. We will not tolerate you to act like Mughal-e-Azam.”

Taking his turn, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto came out all guns blazing against the government. He called upon PPP workers to prepare for a ‘long march’, but he wouldn’t give a timeframe for this march. “I will tour the country, meet people and wage war against the ‘Jati Umra kingdom’,” he said while referring to the residence of the Sharif family. He appealed to people to support him in his struggle against the Mughal king [Nawaz Sharif].”

He accused Premier Sharif of usurping the rights of the smaller provinces. “You have been caught in the Panamagate scandal and expect me to remain silent, how is it is possible, Mian Sahib?” he added. “I will not remain silent over your friendship with Modi and will wage war against you for the sake of my people. I’m going to accomplish the unfinished mission of my grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and mother Benazir Bhutto.”

Bilawal also criticised the judiciary for being biased against the PPP. “The same judiciary had approved the martial law of Gen Ziaul Haq. When my mother’s government was toppled, she was denied justice, but in a similar case, it provided relief to Sharif and restored his government,” he said. “So much so that when Sharif attacked the apex court, he was given a clean chit.”

He questioned the suo motu notices taken by the judiciary during the previous PPP government. “Why the Asghar Khan and Bhutto murder case have been kept pending?” Referring to the Panamagate case, he said, “Let’s see if the apex court will dispense justice to Pakistan or not.”

Other PPP leaders who addressed the gathering included party’s provincial presidents Humayoon Khan (K-P), Qamar Zaman Kaira (central Punjba), Nisar Ahmed Khuhro (Sindh), and Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood (southern Punjba).

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2016.