Ruling out any possibility of forming a grand opposition alliance, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said they were trying to find a common ground to work on with other opposition parties.
“Pakistan Peoples Party can do opposition on its own as well,” he said while talking to the media in Lahore.
Bilawal was specifically asked about the grand alliance as the expected outcome of a meeting held between party president Asif Ali Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman a day earlier.
Benazir entrusted me with the nation's responsibility: Zardari
He said PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has capability to unite all opposition parties of the country on a single platform.
He said, “The PPP is doing the politics of issues,” and rejected reports of any grand alliance with the PML-N.
“Sadar Zardari holds frequent meetings with Maulana sahib and yes something does come out of those meetings each time, but I do not believe any efforts are being made towards a grand alliance. We are focusing on issues-based politics and trying to find common ground,” Bilawal responded.
Regarding the JIT report, he said the JIT report was a baseless and fabricated document, with the intent to do political engineering in the country.
Bilawal said the “fake and false” JIT report was nothing but a sham, with political motivations behind it. “Political engineering is their motive, and they want to use the courts for this purpose,” he alleged, without saying to whom he was referring.
Bilawal demands accountability of those who 'stole public mandate'
He said to malign the PPP, Asif Zardari’s reply to financial allegations were purposefully excluded from the JIT report.
“Asif’s defense is completely missing from the JIT report despite his appearance before the JIT and a written reply.”
He said the PPP would not defend the JIT report in the media and become a part of any media trial. He said it was a legal matter which would be fought in the court.
Bilawal said that a state-sponsored character assassination was being done against Asif Ali Zardari.
“Certain forces since Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s time have been running propaganda campaigns against us,” he said.
He said that they were ready to face any falsely made cases. “We have seen prison before.”
Bilawal said since he was one-year-old, he had been hearing that Asif Ali Zardari was going to jail. “We are ideological political workers and don’t fear prison.”
He said that come what may they would not compromise on the 18th amendment.
Responding to a question regarding the selection of NAB chairman by both the PML-N and the PPP, he said, “Even if this were true, it is the constitutional duty of a person holding such an office to follow the law and be non-partisan. His job is to not fall victim to pressures from the government and the prime minister and to fight against such pressures.”
He said unfortunately be it NAB or any other institution, they were working under some kind of threat and pressure of the government.
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