PESHAWAR - Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the party could topple the selected government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, but they were caring about the fragile parliamentary democracy which was never allowed by the military dictators to complete three consecutive terms.
“We want to give hope to our next generation that democracy would be the future of this country and will continue democratic struggle instead of resorting to aggression and violence,” he remarked while talking to journalists in meet the press programme of Peshawar Press Club. Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, provincial president Pakistan Peoples Party Humayun Khan, MPA Nighat Orakzai and former senior minister Rahim Dad Khan were also present on the occasion.
Bilawal said that the people of Pakistan had greater expectations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, but instead of focusing on human development and strengthening institution, he has focused on political victimisation of opposition leaders. Instead of developing consensus with opposition parties, the prime minister has resorted to the politics of confrontation.
He said that today on July 5, the military dictator general Zia-ul-Haq abrogated the 1973 constitution of Pakistan which was framed by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto with the consensus of other political parties. He said today he has visited Peshawar Press Club to start his struggle against selected government from Peshawar. Pakistan Peoples Party in its five-year term always struggled for the rights of the province to strengthen the bonds of federation and for this purpose they have struggled since Zia-ul-Haq military dictatorship.
“I will go to each nook and corner of the country to expose Prime Minister Imran Khan who always tells lies to the public in his speeches. He said that Khan has devastated the economy of the country instead of revamping it. He has allegedly snatched the fundamental rights of the people and imposed section 144 in Fata ahead of elections,” he uttered.
He maintained that there are serious questions regarding free and fair elections in erstwhile Fata as the Election Commission of Pakistan has allowed army to be deputed inside polling stations and despite the opposition parties’ demand, the Election Commission of Pakistan did not take their demand seriously. He said that Pakistan Peoples Party believes in freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly and would not allow others to curtail these rights of the public in a democratic set up. He said that the party of martyrs better knows that how to protect their basic human rights and for this purpose they would not refrain from any sacrifice.
To a question regarding nominating their own candidate for Senate chairmanship and removing the incumbent chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Bilawal said that the opposition alliance wanted to demonstrate their unity and consensus. He asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to compete with Pakistan Peoples Party in the allocation of funds for erstwhile Fata and instead of weakening the federation and bulldozing the 18th amendment, he should work for the economic development of the small federating units.
He severely criticised the PTI-led government for arresting Rana Sanullah in alleged fake drug case and said that it is utter violation of basic human rights and tantamount to pressurise the opposition parties. He said that they are not fearful of these tactics and would keep up their peaceful struggle for restoration of true democracy.