'Our time has just begun': Bilawal demands release of political prisoners

PPP chairman criticises NA speaker for failure to issue production orders

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday demanded the release of all political prisoners.

Applauding the release of parliamentarians Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, Bilawal criticised Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser for failing to issue production orders for the imprisoned MNAs.

Dawar and Wazir were arrested in May following the Kharqamar incident. They were granted bail by the Peshawar High Court on Saturday.

Time cant be up for youth of Pakistan who believe in democracy, human rights & peaceful resistance. Our time has just begun.Pleased 2 FATA MNAs are finally free. Despite repeated demands selected Speaker never issued production orders. I demand release of all politician prisoners https://t.co/E7mFuH2rZB

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) September 23, 2019

Bilawal also accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government of arresting politicians to divert attention from its failure to handle the Kashmir issue. He asked how the premier intended to lead the Kashmir cause if he was unable to lead the country.

Opposition parties have decried political victimisation at the hands of Imran Khan-led government.

Most recently, the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz staged a protest outside the National Assembly over the arrest of veteran PPP leader Khursheed Shah.

Shah's arrest a ploy to divert attention from Kashmir failure: Bilawal

The lawmakers arrested by the incumbent government in different cases are former president Asif Ali Zardari, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, former railways minister Saad Rafique, Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar, Rana Sanaullah, and Khursheed Shah.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif was also arrested last year and is currently out on bail.

Other senior leaders of opposition parties including ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, PML-N vice presidents Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz, and PPP's Faryal Talpur are also currently imprisoned.