On Monday, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated the PPP's resolve to continue its struggle for independence of media and rights of the journalists.
Speaking on the occasion of participation in the sit-in staged by the journalist's community outside the parliament building, he said that this is not a new thing that the journalists are protesting against a black law, journalists have been fighting the same laws from the era of dictator General Ayub Khan, General Zia-ul-Haq and General Musharraf, he added.
Bilawal Bhutto said, "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto after taking charge as the prime minister had abolished all restrictions against journalists. We had removed all restrictions imposed by General Musharraf and cleansed of the constitution from all such restrictions and black laws through 18th amendment."
He said that the PPP is against PECA and it is against PMDA. This PMDA is an attack on journalists, democracy, the judiciary, and the right of employment of journalists. We will oppose this PMDA in parliament and every forum. PPP Jiyalas will join you wherever you give a call all over Pakistan, he added.
He said that the PPP will raise two issues in the parliament, one is the journalist's struggle against the black law PMDA and another issue is of sacking 20 thousand employees unjustifiably by the court. If the parliament can reinstate the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court then why can it not reinstate sacked employees? These employees were first sacked in 1997 when they were about 30 years old and now they are sacked again when most of them have crossed 50 years of age.
Bilawal Bhutto said that the responses which we have received from the high officials and police department about the attacks on journalists are not satisfactory and the affected journalists are also not satisfied with these responses.
He said that as long as the question of the legitimacy of this government is concerned, all the opposition parties consider it as an illegitimate government. We wanted and still want to bring no confidence against this government because we have proved that the government could be dislodged in this way by the success of Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani as Senator from the national assembly.
Chairman PPP said that this is the most inactive parliament in history where the opposition members are not allowed to speak. The parliament is a platform to solve people's issues but the minister abuse the opposition instead of discussing people's issue.