ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari yesterday said Imran Khan was not capable to run the government affairs and his government was on the verge of collapse

Speaking at a news conference here after a marathon meeting of the PPP core committee, Bilawal said that the government will go “sooner or later. This government cannot continue for long and it will have to go. We are starting a mass contact movement in Punjab soon.”

“The PPP morally supports JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman protest against this government,” he remarked.

The PPP chief said Pakistanis should have been one voice for Kashmiris but Imran Khan could not forge unity and harmony. “PPP has given a deadline (of December) not only to the government but also the facilitators of this government. This deadline is due to the economic state of the country, Kashmir issue and overall situation of the country,” he said.

The PPP, he said, has chalked out a strategy to protect the common people from the anti-people policies of Imran Khan.

“There is nothing for common people in the last three budget presented by this incompetent government,” he said.

Bilawal said that PPP wanted to include several demand in the opposition agenda.

“The demands are; 1) protecting constitution and parliamentary form of government, 2) to protect 18th amendment, 3) reforms in accountability process and to have across the board accountability, 4) judicial reforms, 5) complete freedom of press and freedom of expression and 6) opposing any effort to change Chief Election Commissioner by unconstitutional means,” he said.

He said that a delegation of PPP leaders will go to meet Moulana Fazlur Rehman soon to convey the message of the party.

He said the biggest need is to carry out electoral reforms because if the elections are held as were held in 2018, then such elections would be useless.

Bilawal condemned PTI government’s alleged attempts to launch a witch-hunt against the media as well after holding opposition leaders hostage through the NAB.

“The way they deal with their opponents and critics is reminiscent of the Salem witch trials. Based on frivolity and falsehoods, the PTI’s narrative is right out of Goebbels’ propaganda playbook,” he said.

The PPP Chairman said now that the government had found an easy way to imprison its political opponents by unleashing NAB, it is going to go after its critics in the media through these so-called media tribunals.

“These tribunals will be nothing but another way of silencing dissent. PTI’s social media team follows the exact same path of Modi bhakts — discrediting and harassing critics online. Now they want to go after media organisations through these special tribunals because the media is exposing select PM’s ineptitude and incompetence,” he added.

Bilawal made it clear that the PPP will not let this bill be passed at any cost. “We stand for the freedom of media. Pakistan’s media is going through its worst phase of censorship under the Niazi regime. We will not allow them to target the media so blatantly and brazenly. Enough is enough. The media fraternity, too, must raise its voice for their own rights. The Opposition firmly stands behind them,” he stated.