Democracy comes to Nawaz's mind only when he's not in power: Bilawal

PPP chairman says there's no threat to democracy and the system in the country

Taking a jibe at ousted PM Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Friday that the former premier only recalled democracy when he was no longer in power.

"Otherwise, Nawaz Sharif pays no heed to the Charter of Democracy and other such agreements when he's the PM," the PPP chief told reporters during a press conference at Bilawal House, Islamabad.

He added that there was no threat to democracy and the system in the country. "The only threat is to Nawaz Sharif himself," he added.



Bilawal said his party had raised the issue of Panama Papers leak first and it had always worked to uphold democracy in the country.

"We weren't a 'soft' opposition and have never assisted the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)," he maintained.

The PPP chief said not only did Sharif lack political vision, he also had no personal interest in democracy.

"All that he [Sharif] wants to do is to save himself."

The PPP chairman said his party did not want a clash between institutions but the judiciary and military should have no role in parliamentary affairs.

"However, to deal with this issue we won't resort to the kind of politics the PML-N stoops to," he remarked.

He pointed out that the issue of Panama Papers were not taken up by the judiciary or the military.

"I don't believe that there was any conspiracy to oust Nawaz Sharif. He is going down the wrong path by staging a rally following his disqualification and it won't help him in any way."



Bilawal said the PPP was ready for the next elections and would form the next government.

"We weren't allowed to campaign before the last elections but this time my father and I are both in the field and it's a different situation altogether," he claimed.

The PPP chairman also expressed his concerns over the abduction of political activists in Sindh. He added that he would not only take up the issue of with the provincial government but also ask the Senate's human rights bodies to look into the matter.

On Sindh's anti-corruption law, he said it would be more effective than the National Accountability Bureau. "If Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa can pass its own anti-graft law, why not Sindh?" he asked.