JACOBABAD /SUKKUR/KARACHI - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Saturday said that the biggest problem of the country at the moment is inflation, and the people are looking towards politicians to solve their problems. He also urged the Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) and the caretaker government to put the public interest first and not that of any party.
According to a press release issued by Media Cell Bilawal House, while talking to the media after condoling the death of former provincial minister Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani’s aunt and former provincial minister Mir Mumtaz Jakhrani’s mother, the PPP chairman said that the his party’s previous provincial government in Sindh had given all possible support to the flood victims. He said that flood victims in Sindh are being given the ownership rights of the plots along with construction of pakka houses. “Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had promised the ‘Rotti, Kapra Aur Makan’ (bread, cloths and shelter), we are fulfilling that promise,” he added.
Bilawal said that Pakistan had been badly affected by climate change, adding that there is a need to invest in infrastructure and agriculture and his party will take steps in this regard after winning the upcoming general elections. He said that South Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been affected by the floods last year, but nothing has been done to help the flood victims there. “We will definitely expand the projects that have been started only for the flood victims of Sindh to other provinces,” he vowed.
In response to a question asked by a journalist, the PPP chairman said that his party is always ready for elections, and it is the only party that wants general elections to be held early in the country, so that it can serve to people. He furthered that every democratic politician understands that elections are the solution to all problems, adding that he did not expect such a statement from a politician like Maulana Fazlur Rehman that he would talk about delaying the elections. “We hope that the voters of Pakistan will get the right to elect their representatives as soon as possible. When the representatives go to the Parliament, they get the legal authority to solve the problems of the people,” he added and contended that even if the caretaker government wants to, it cannot give relief to the people, because it has neither the powers nor the space and legitimacy.
Bilawal said that the development schemes in Sindh have been halted due to stubbornness. He urged that the ECP and the caretaker government should prioritize the interests of the people and not any party. “I am winning the election, (and) I will come and carry forward these development projects,” he announced.
In response to a question regarding Mian Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PPP has always maintained that PML-N chief should return to the country. He said that the activities on behalf of the PML-N regarding the return of their leader, as they should be, are not so visible, adding that the PML-N ministers who were with us (in coalition government) are no longer visible. He said that when Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto announced to return home on October 18, 2007, the enthusiastic workers of PPP had intensified their activities across the country. But now that Nawaz Sharif is coming back, that spirit of PML-N is not visible.” The PPP chairman said that the caretaker government is facing difficulties, when there is an elected government, there will be no such difficulties. He said that he regrets the situation the caretaker PM faced regarding the meetings in the United Nations. If there is an elected leadership, such situations do not have to be faced.
In response to a question about PTI, he said that until the leaders of May 9 are fixed, the talks with PTI are not possible.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, commenting on the issue of not giving visas to Pakistani cricket fans and sports journalists, said that when he was the foreign minister, he decided to send the Pakistani cricket team to India because Pakistan is not afraid of competition, India has given our players visas reluctantly, now India is showing fear by not issuing visa to Pakistani cricket fans and sports journalists. I trust Pakistan cricket team to play well and return from India successfully.
Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed full solidarity with the Palestinian people and said that the Palestine issue is a global issue, and as the foreign minister, he had raised his voice for Palestine at every forum.
Meanwhile, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condoled former MPA Aslam Abro in Jacobabad for the tragic killings of his brother Akram Abro and nephew Shahryar Abro. Earlier, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condoled the death of former Member of Sindh Assembly Sardar Manzoor Ali Khan Panhwer with his sons Mir Aurangzeb Khan Panhwer and Sardar Changez Khan Panhwer.