Cipher case a security breach: Bilawal

HYDERABAD:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday said that former prime minister Imran Khan appears to be getting “relief” ahead of the February 8 polls, saying that the cipher case was a very serious matter and demanded a thorough investigation.

The cipher case pertains to a piece of paper that Imran had waved at a public rally on March 27, 2022, ahead of a vote of confidence that he lost.

The former prime minister, later naming the US, had claimed that the cipher was “evidence” of an “international conspiracy” to topple his government.

Bilawal’s remarks came two days after the Supreme Court granted bail to Imran and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.

"Imran seems to be getting relief. PPP does not believe in political vendettas and does not wish to engage in such practices with its opponents. However, the cipher incident is a matter of grave concern and should be thoroughly investigated. It poses a significant breach of national security,” the PPP chairman said while speaking to the media in Larkana.

Bilawal asserted that there is no record of cipher given to Imran who himself had admitted that it was misplaced. However, he added that it became a subject of global media attention on the day the PTI founder was arrested.

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Bilawal called for a serious approach from the judiciary or a government-led inquiry to unveil the story behind the cypher matter.

In response to a question about the electoral alliance, Bilawal stated that objections can be raised against any leader, but any political worker of any party, including PTI, should have the freedom to engage in politics.

The former foreign minister quipped, "Nawaz Sharif's initial slogan was, "Why was I ousted?" In this election, his slogan will be, 'Why was I invited?'"

Commenting on the PPP's recent coalition government with the PML-N and the party's long march which was staged to oust Imran Khan from the government, he claimed that he has learned from his mistake.

"There is a saying in English, if you fool me once then shame on you and if you fool me twice then shame on me."

Responding to a question he admitted his inability to deny two seats of legislators to a single political family, expressing his wish that one day he may be able to do that.

He reiterated that though he did not believe in political victimisation, which his party and family had also suffered, he wanted the judiciary to seriously conduct the trial of that case.

Much as he criticised the PTI's founding leader, Bilawal held out an olive branch to the PTI's workers to join forces with the PPP.

"Differences of opinion may exist against some political leaders, but we respect workers of all political parties and we invite them to join the PPP to do politics."

The PPP's leader said he envisioned building three million houses across the country for the poor people and to give ownership of those houses to the female family members.

He added that 70% of the country's population comprised youth for whom the PPP wanted to create employment opportunities.

"Our contest isn't against any political party or any political leader but we are fighting against unemployment, poverty, economic crisis and inflation."

Bilawal is contesting from two constituencies of the national assembly from the neighbouring districts, Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot. NA-194 Larkana and NA-196 Qambar-Shahdadkot.

When asked to assure the public that after quitting NA-196, if he secured NA-194, Qambar-Shahdadkot's public would not be left at the mercy of tribal chiefs, the PPP's chairman said he would himself be answerable for development in both NA-194 and NA-196.

He said the caretaker government's response to Israel's brutal onslaught on Gaza has been appropriate and that Pakistan's UN Ambassador Munir Akram has also been raising his voice assertively on that international platform.

However, he believed that an elected government would be able to more proactively support the cause of Palestine.