PPP accuses ruling party of pursuing political vendetta

Calls for revival of student unions; expresses concern over presence of militants’ sympathizers in govt

KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Wednesday criticised the federal government for pursuing a political vendetta against its foes and failing to control inflation and unemployment.

The party also demanded that the government lift the ban imposed on student unions.

During the PPP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting held at Naudero House on the eve of the 40 death anniversary of the PPP founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the party leaders demanded expeditious trial of Bhutto murder case.

The meeting was co-chaired by the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and its Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. “We are still waiting to see justice dispensed because Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was judicially assassinated,” the PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira later said in a joint press conference.



Kaira, who was flanked by Farhatullah Babar, MNA Nafisa Shah and Moula Bux Chandio, said the reference to reinitiate Bhutto’s trial was signed by the former president Asif Ali Zardari but it was still being treated with slackness despite repeated reminders.

Rejecting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government’s accountably process, he said: “Only political opponents are being held accountable. The actions are meant to victimise political rivals.”

Referring to the party’s CEC and federal council meeting, he said the PTI and its allies include many corrupt leaders but no action is being taken against them. “The media trial of the PPP leaders has been started by levelling serious allegations,” he said.

Babar took strong exception to the extremist parties and groups operating in Pakistan and said the meeting expressed serious concern over these groups that freely operate in the country. “We demand strict action against them.”



Referring to three federal cabinet ministers, who, according to him, have close links with militants, he said, “Bilawal had already exposed them. But today’s meeting was dismayed over their network in Pakistan and demanded to take strict action against them.” Quoting the meeting, he said missing persons belonging to different parties and groups must be released without delay.

Nafisa Shah condemned the Indian aggression in the occupied Kashmir. She also asked the PTI government to avoid selling profitable companies and criticized the federal government for its attempts to bulldoze the 18^th  Amendment.

Death anniversary of Bhutto is being observed on Thursday (today) in Garhi Khuda Bux where thousands of people from Sindh and other parts of Pakistan would converge. The main PPP rally will take place at around 3pm where senior leaders of the party will address it.

Earlier, the PPP Chairman Bilawal said the role and contributions of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto are vast and exemplary and despite his martyrdom forty years back, he is alive in the hearts and minds of people. “Even their anger on his cold blooded judicial assassination is as intense as it was on his day of martyrdom.”

Paying rich tributes to Bhutto, he said while founder of nation changed the course of history, “the Quaid-e-Awam [ZA Bhutto] paved the way for democratic revolution and created immense awareness for democracy and its blessings.”