‘Control your ministers if you want to protect the federation’

Bilawal accuses PTI of wanting to take over Karachi, vows to protect 1973 Constitution

HYDERABAD: As the fray over Karachi between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf's (PTI) federal and Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Sindh government drags on, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has blamed the PTI for working over an anti-Sindh agenda. "The attempted tampering with the 18th Amendment, the talk of imposing governor's rule in Sindh and dissolving the Sindh government are parts of that agenda," said Bilawal in his brief interaction with the media in Madeji, Shikarpur district, on Saturday.

Although the federal government has clarified that it is not considering to invoke Article 149 of the Constitution, he reiterated the accusation that the Centre wants to take over administrative control of Karachi in violation of the country's Constitution.

He cautioned the PTI government that Karachi is the heart of Sindh and that the province's people will not tolerate the move to separate their metropolis from the province.

Referring to his September 12 statement regarding the creation of Sindhudesh as a backlash to dividing the province, Bilawal said he had meant that there would be dangerous consequences for the federation if Sindh's people feel that their rights are being denied. "I am saying again today that if you want to protect the federation then the 'puppet' government will have to control its senseless and incapable ministers."

He said that the PPP believes in democracy and that the party will fight till the end to protect the 1973 Constitution which was given by former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bilawal again blamed the PTI, Grand Democratic Alliance and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan for conspiring against Sindh and the provincial government of his party.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media near Sehwan, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah predicted the doom for political elements who are dreaming of dividing Sindh. Shah said he had unveiled the new conspiracy for the province's division two months ago on the Sindh assembly's floor.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2019.