Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while speaking to the media outside the Parliament on Thursday, lashed out at the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government and said that leaders of his party served prison sentences during Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf’s tenure and are ready to go to prison during Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s term.
The PPP chairman said, “This is a selected government with a selected prime minister and selected ministers.” Criticizing the PTI government’s ‘mini-budget,’ Bilawal said, “PTI vowed to make the life of a common person easier but they are doing injustice with the poor with the budget,” he said.
Bilawal said that the PPP completely rejects the mini-budget, he added, “The relief granted to non-filers matter is no less than a scandal. The budget only benefits non-filers and PM Imran Khan’s ATMs.” The PPP chairman further said that he thought that Finance Minister Asad Umar would introduce a budget that would be beneficial to the poor, but it only provided relief to non-filers.
He further said that he regretted that the increase in gas and electricity prices is adversely affecting the poor. Stating that the government has no plan, Bilawal said, “The mini-budget is a mini-drama which is PTI's habit as they keep saying they will do this and they will do that.”
Shifting focus to PTI’s austerity drive, the PPP chairman said, “Pakistan is being laughed at owing the auction of PM House buffaloes and cars." Urging PM Imran to stay true to his claims, the PPP chairman said, “There is nothing new in this government’s tenure.”
Further, taking a hit at the government's foreign policy, Bilawal said, “Irresponsible statements were being issued regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor; there should have been direct talks with Beijing.”