Bilawal hits out at PM at PPP foundation day

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the PTI promised agricultural emergency but contrarily the government has ended up putting the farmers in a state of emergency due to rising prices of inputs and fuel. "Will you bring agricultural revolution by creating water disputes."

"First time in Pakistan's history, the graph of people's trust on the government has dropped so dramatically. The people have grown fed up of the idea of new Pakistan in just 100 days of PTI's government," Bilawal said. He blamed central government for inflation and currency depreciation. "I want to ask Khan what he has done other than taking 100 U-turns in 100 days in the power. What happened to FATA's merger, judicial and police reforms? I want to ask what have you done with Balochistan and how many missing Baloch have been recovered."

Bilawal also questioned the Baloch leader Akhtar Mengal's coalition government with the PTI predicting that the PM would take six U-turns on as many demands of Mengal for Balochistan. "But you are still their allies."

He differed with the PM's assertion that Pakistan engaged in the fight against terrorism at the US’ behest. "We will never succeed in dousing this fire of terrorism if our PM says on the day of martyrs that this war isn't ours."

Citing threats to the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the National Finance Commission Award, Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) leadership has vowed to defend the twin developments.

"I know some people have problem with the 18th Amendment. The people at big and important places have the problem," said Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Co-chairman, while addressing the party's 51st foundation day in Sukkur on Friday.

"I know which powers want to break Pakistan. In the past, same powers were confronted by Benazir Bhutto and now we are fighting against them and the next generation will also continue the fight."

He said he did not amend the Constitution to make himself powerful but to strengthen Pakistan.

"The PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] wants to make Pakistan a One Unit. The people know well the consequences of the one unit [of 1960s]," PPP's chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said. He vowed that his party will oppose the 'assault' on 18th Amendment and NFC award.

He said the game which Prime Minister Imran Khan is playing with the country will produce the same results as of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) previous government. The PPP leader criticised Khan for taking U-turns.

"He says without U-turn a man can't become a leader. But the leader is one who fulfils commitments with the people and gives sacrifices and suffers in that struggle." He advised Khan to follow the footsteps of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto if he wanted to become a leader.

He said Khan took U-turn on the utility stores, IMF loan, gas supply to export sector owing to which 300 textile units in Punjab are under threat of closure, tax on rich, Saudi partnership in CPEC, PM's residence, foreign visits, protocol, political appointments and austerity campaign.

The PPP co-chairman censured the PTI's government for carrying out a reckless anti-encroachment campaign, saying that thousands of people have been made homeless and redundant. "And then you offer the people temporary accommodation in the tents."

Zardari said Imran came with the promise of development but he slashed Rs250 billion from the development funds. "You gave the word of bringing foreign investment but in the first 100 days of your government 35 per cent drop has been recorded in foreign investment." He held Khan's responsible for the power outages across the country.

Zardari said the dictatorial regimes in Pakistan were used by the global powers for their own interests. "If Bhutto was alive today he wouldn't have let the country to be used by them." He said the PPP's journey is not limited to 50 to 60 years and the party would continue to serve the people under the philosophy of Bhutto and Benazir.