Opp’s recourse to no-trust strategy PPP’s brainchild: Bilawal

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman on Monday said the opposition’s joint efforts to bring a no-confidence motion against the government was a recourse earlier suggested by his party, adding the move was an accomplishment.

Addressing a party workers' convention in Peshawar, Bilawal said that those who were initially reluctant to lend their support to the strategy of bringing a no-trust motion have finally joined their voices with PPP in calls for the move.

“Earlier, they were not united over the decision but now they are on the same page with us,” he added. He said the PPP has reached out to all parties, including the PDM alliance, in an effort to pull off the no-confidence motion.

The PPP chairperson was referring to his party’s rift with Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) over the strategy to remove the incumbent government, which had eventually led to its exit from the multi-party alliance. The festering resentment seemed to melt away earlier this month when the opposition agreed on the method and support each other's endeavours against the ruling party.

During his address on Monday, Bilawal added that his party will hold the long march on February 27. “This will be the biggest march in the history of Pakistan. We should inform the public about the strategy of PPP’s long march.”

“Imran Khan’s Pakistan is the most corrupt Pakistan according to a report of the Transparency International. The PPP never left the field open for Imran Khan because we never let any dictator rule without resistance,” he added.

He said the PPP resisted dictators like General Yahya Khan, General Zia and General Musharraf.

“We asked our friends not to resign and to contest the elections and then Imran Khan lost every by-election, Senate election and local government election. Now, our long march will weaken this government. We are democrats and will not attack parliament or the PTV. Now, our friends are also on the same page,” he said.

He said the march would be difficult to handle for the PTI once it reached Islamabad.

Last week, Bilawal said that the PPP’s long march against the federal government would likely reach Islamabad on March 6 or 7.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party (ANP) has announced that it would participate in the PPP’s February 27 long march.

“PML-N has a majority in parliament, therefore, if the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan succeeds, it has the right to form government,” he added.

Lashing out at the PTI government for allegedly "backtracking on all its promises", Bilawal said people were suffering from “unprecedented economic devastation”.

“This government had promised a change but it only pushed people into economic crisis. The PTI after coming to power had vowed to provide 10 million jobs, but it rendered several people jobless in its three and a half years of power," he said.

He said the PPP would use its "democratic power" against the incumbent government. "We are not a party that attacks the judiciary or approaches other institutions with a request to topple a government. We are also not a party that storms the PTV headquarters or parliament to get its demands accepted."

Talks with militants

The PPP chairperson criticised PM Imran’s decision to hold out an olive branch to militants, saying the decision in this regard must be taken by taking parliament on board. “Otherwise any such talks will have no legitimacy".

He said "terrorists" must first apologise to the nation for spilling the blood of citizens and personnel of armed forces.

"If you let loose these terrorists, your state will be in a great disorder," he said.

The PPP chief told his party workers to work with unity if they wanted to form a government in the province.

 

 

"Imran Khan’s [Naya] Pakistan is the most corrupt Pakistan according to a report of the Transparency International," he said while addressing a workers’ convention in Peshawar.

The PPP long march will be for bringing a no-confidence motion against the incompetent and illegitimate government of PM Imran, Bilawal added

"The PPP never left the field open for Imran Khan because we never let any dictator rule without resistance. We resisted dictators like General Yahya Khan, General Zia and General Musharraf," he said, adding, "We asked our friends not to resign and to contest the elections and then Imran Khan lost every by-poll, Senate election and local government elections."

Imran Khan did not fulfil his promise of 10 million jobs and 5 million houses. He did not provide a single job and got his own house in Bani Gala regularised, he added.

The PPP leader said that all promises of the premier to the youth of the country proved to be false and created the worst economic crisis of the history of Pakistan.

Read more: Bilawal offers conditional reconciliation with PDM

"All his [PM] promises about education, employment, economy, elimination of corruption, law and order, promises to growers, labourers and women were proved false."

On the very first day in parliament, Bilawal said he had called Imran Khan “selected” and today the whole world knows that he is selected.

He said that the PPP's long march will weaken the PTI government, adding that since they are democrats, they will not attack the Parliament House or the PTV.

The PPP will reach Islamabad with its long march and will put forward demands before the "selected" government, he added.

Bilawal said that the government has bowed before the terrorists. "These terrorists should ask for pardon first and then produce themselves before the law for accountability. Whatever the government is doing is wrong and the people of Pakistan and parliament should be taken into confidence before talking to these terrorists."

The name Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is given to the region by the PPP, he said. "This was the achievement of the PPP. Through the 18th Amendment in the Constitution, the PPP made the people of the province govern their own province. The people cannot forget the party which gave employment to the youth. The women of this province and the entire country cannot forget the BISP. The PPP is still fighting for the rights of the labourers."

Bilawal went on to say that the Sindh government is fighting for minimum wages to be Rs25,000 as it wanted to give more to the labour class, adding that it has also restored the students’ union.

"We will also restore students’ union in K-P and other provinces. We want to give a free medical treatment of cancer, liver, kidney and heart like in Sindh."

Bilawal said that he had long ago challenged the PTI government to show any hospital like NIVCD anywhere in Pakistan but it has not accepted that challenge yet.