ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari yesterday said that the federal government wanted to hide the proceedings in cases against former President Asif Ali Zardari from the people.

Speaking to journalists here, Bilawal said all the roads were blocked by the police when Zardari appeared before the court earlier in the day.

“The people were stopped from witnessing the injustices meted out to the PPP leadership. Even the lawyers for Zardari, Advocate Farooq Naik and Sardar Abdul Latif Khosa, were stopped and mishandled by the police,” he said.  He said several senior lawyers of the Supreme Court were also stopped.

“Is this is a tactic to pressurise judges or the PPP? Is it an independent state? What did they want to hide from the judges of the Supreme Court and the people of Pakistan? The entire Islamabad police was deputed for one court appearance,” he remarked. Yesterday, the accountability court decided to indict Asif Ali Zardari on September 9 in National Accountability Bureau’s Toshakhana (treasure-house) reference. 

Accountability Judge Asghar Ali heard the case as Zardari appeared before the court. Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Omni Group Chief Executive Officer Abdul Ghani Majeed were directed to ensure their presence in the next hearing.

Bilawal said every jiyala (party worker) remembers 17th August as “this day was the last day of Zia-ul-Haq.” 

He added: “This should also be the end of this regime which is running through NAB. PPP fought against Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf and is still fighting against this regime.” 

Bilawal said that the PPP was being pressurised for 18th Amendment and the National Finance Commission but PPP will not change its stance on such vital issues. 

“If you want to arrest my entire family then do it but we will not compromise on the economic rights of the people and the constitution of Pakistan,” he maintained. Bilawal said that it was ironic that one judge of the NAB allowed Zardari to appear via video link whereas the other judge of the NAB court ordered him to appear before court in person despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He said that the PPP had always respected courts. “The PPP is still expecting justice from the courts in Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case,” he said.

The PPP chief said Taliban leader Ehsanullah Ehsan escaped detention. “He is the same person who boasted martyring children of Army Public School but no court in the country took suo moto notice. If they cannot give justice to the children of APS then who they will give justice to,” he added. 

Meanwhile, two delegations, one of Peoples Lawyers’ Forum and other of PPP Womens’ wing Kashmir called on Bilawal here yesterday.

Chairman PPP expressed his gratitude with the lawyers expressing solidarity with Asif Ali Zardari on his appearance in the accountability court. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also thanked the lawyers.  Separately, a delegation of PPP workers from Kashmir called on the PPP Chairman.