Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said that the ‘rigged’ general elections of 2018 damaged Pakistan more than any other event in its history.
“On this day, a selection was held which has caused a great damage to the country and undermined its democratic system,” Bilawal told a press conference here. “I wonder why security personnel were deployed inside the polling stations. Never in the history was such a step taken… not even during the general elections 2008 when terrorism was at its peak in the country,” he said, while pointing out ‘irregularities’ during the 2018 polls. “Imran Khan has failed to fulfill his promises of making Pakistan a corruption-free country, providing five million low cost houses and millions of jobs to the masses,” he went on to say. “Today, the entire nation is on one page that ‘selected’ Imran Khan has to go … he has destroyed the country’s democracy and economy,” he asserted.
Commenting on the newly introduced ordinance related to the incarcerated Indian spy, Bilawal said, “You [PM Imran Khan] were supposed to become an ambassador of Kashmir but you have become an advocate of Kulbhushan Jadhav.”
Separately, Bilawal met Balochistan National Party (BNP) supremo Akhtar Mengal, who had last month parted ways with the PTI government, dealing a mighty blow to the ruling coalition. The PPP spokesperson, in a statement, said that the PPP chairman discussed the current political situation with the BNP chief in the meeting.
The PPP chairman was accompanied by senior leaders Nayyar Bukhari, Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, and Farhatullah Babar. Meanwhile from the BNP, Agha Hasan and Mir Hamal Kalmati were also present during the meeting held at the Zardari House in Islamabad. The meeting has assumed significance in the wake of planned an opposition APC to be held after Eidul Azha. In June, BNP’s Mengal had announced to quit the coalition, saying that several issues of the province had remained unresolved including that of the missing persons.
Mengal had clarified that his party would continue to be part of the National Assembly and would keep talking about Balochistan’s issues.
The PPP and the PML-N had earlier announced that the opposition had agreed to call an APC immediately after Eid-ul-Azha to devise a joint strategy against the government. The two parties had also announced setting up a joint action committee which will comprise the PML-N’s Khawaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Sanullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb. It will have the PPP’s representation in the form of Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Farhatullah Babar and Nayyar Bukhari. From the ANP, Mian Ifthikar and Ameer Haider Khan Hoti will be part of the committee while Senator Mir Kabeer Shahi from the National Party will also feature in it.
Meanwhile, the PPP leadership has taken steps to strengthen its response to the PTI government by fortifying and bringing orderliness to its Punjab chapter. Bilawal has handed over the gauntlet to Qamar Zaman Kaira to strengthen and organize party matters in Punjab. Reports said Kaira and party’s General Secretary Chaudhry Manzoor will work together to hold meetings and conventions at the district level and divisional headquarters. The two leaders will also formulate programme schedules and unite old and new workers under the party’s flag.
