PPP fighting against inflation, poverty: Bilawal

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Friday his anti-government long march was growing, as it moved towards its destination and assured the marchers that he would rid the country of a ‘hypocrite and liar’.

Addressing the supporters and long march participants in Khanewal, the PPP chairman said that he was fighting against inflation, poverty and unemployment and against “a selected and illegitimate” prime minister. “We were out in the field before and we are out in the field today,” he said.

“This puppet government had thought that it could intimidate the people through NAB [National Accountability Bureau] and nobody would challenge them,” Bilawal told a charged crowd. “The puppet is cowardly and scared. Seeing the power of the people, he is trembling in his shoes.”

The PPP chairman said that Prime Minister Imran Khan used to say that price hike was a global phenomenon, so he could not do anything in this regard but within two days of the PPP’s long march, “the puppet bowed to the people’s power” and reduced the prices of petrol and electricity.

Bilawal also said that Imran used to call everyone a thief but after three years he himself turned out to be a big thief. He asked the marchers as to who was a sugar thief, and the crowd roared back, “Imran Khan”. Who was water, fertilizer and flour thief, he again asked, and the crowd gave the same reply.

The PPP chairman also railed against the government’s agricultural policies. “Farmers are being killed economically. We move from crisis to crisis, one after another, sometimes water, sometimes locust attack and sometimes fertiliser crisis. Imran Khan is the economic killer of farmers,” he added.

He said that the PPP was a party of farmers, labourers and workers. He reminded the rally that former prime minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto immediately called planes from Iran during the locust attack at that time. She ordered the government to procure potato when there was bumper produce.

Similarly, he added, before the government in 2008, wheat, rice and sugar were imported. However, former president Asif Zardari increased the price of these crops through Kissan Support Programme, and the country started exporting these commodities.

“When I’m here, the farmer will not sleep hungry,” he said. “I am going to Islamabad to hold them accountable,” he thundered, adding: “Imran has no future, he will flee to London but we live and die among the people here.”

He reminded the rally that when the people supported the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he changed the destiny of the country. Similarly, the people supported the late Benazir Bhutto, who used to call farmers and labourers “my brothers”, he added. “Now you support me and we will end this devastation.”

Referring to the injuries suffered by his sister, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, after she was hit by a drone, Bilawal said that “Aseefa Bibi is the daughter of Shaheed Rani [late Benazir Bhutto]”, adding: “Doctors suggested stitches but Asifa Bibi told them, ‘no stitches, just the bandage, I have to go back to the [march] truck’.”

Later, the long march caravan left for Chichawatni and Sahiwal. A large number of people from Khanewal also joined the caravan. The PPP caravan stretched over 10 kilometres, including thousands of vehicles.

Earlier, addressing the supporters in Multan on Thursday night, Bilawal reiterated his pledge to continue his struggle for the rights of the people. “The PPP has always striven to protect the rights of people, including the right to jobs and right to equal treatment, and will continue to do so,” he said.

The PPP chairman demanded that the south Punjab should be made a separate province. He said that the PPP believed in democracy and the democratic process, and it was ready to face political rivals in elections.

He announced that his long march would reach Islamabad via GT Road in five days and then the party would go for a no-confidence move. He also criticized the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Ordinance.

‘March for everyone’

The PPP long march is expected to reach Lahore on Saturday (today). However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had not yet decided to give a welcome to the long march in the Punjab capital, party sources told Express News.

The sources said that consultations were held in the party regarding the PPP’s long march, but no decision was taken. Some party leaders were of the view that Bilawal should be given a welcome by the party, while others pointed out that the PPP had not invited them to the march, the sources added.

When contacted, PPP Punjab General Secretary Hassan Murtaza said that the PPP’s long march was for everyone, therefore, the party had not invited any particular party. Any party coming to the march would be welcomed, Murtaza said.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP AND NEWS DESK)