LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has reiterated his stance that time for a dialogue is over and now it’s time for a long march on Islamabad to get the resignation of ‘puppet’ Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He was talking to the media here on Monday evening after condoling with the family of local PPP leader Dilawar Butt, who passed away a few days ago.

He paid tribute to the late PPP leader for the services he rendered for the party and said that Mr Butt was a loyal and committed party worker.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the Pakis­tan Democratic Movement (PDM) would decide when to start the long march on Islamabad to get the resignation of the “puppet” prime minister.

“We will take the poor, the unemployed, students, growers and all those who are in trouble because of this selected government (along) to Islamabad with us.”

He said dialogue would be held after the “puppet” prime minister was gone.

“When we reach Islamabad this puppet will leave the government,” he claimed. About the mode of balloting in the coming Senate elections, the PPP chairman said the opposition would follow the Constitution on the issue.

“The people and their representatives have the right to secret ballot. This right of secrecy of vote is protected through the secret balloting (so that) no one can victimise anyone after the voting. The members have the right to use their right to vote without any fear. This is their constitutional right to keep their votes secret. Any change in this procedure could only be brought about by a change in the Constitution.”

He added that Imran Khan and his “coterie” had no knowledge of the Constitution, but the courts were aware of the basic law of the land.

He told a questioner that he was amused when the government felt uncomfortable by seeing someone eating pizza.

“The pizza which should be discussed is Papa John’s as the owner of dozens of [pizza] franchises is neither on the ECL nor in prison.” The PPP chairman said that his meeting with PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, who is in jail, was held in the presence of other people, including police.

He also said that the PDM leaders collectively decided issues and chalked out strategies, and when to use the resignation option had not yet been discussed.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had averted debate in parliament and also refused to have a debate in the media. Imran Khan had admitted his defeat and he had said he would think about resigning, the PPP leader added.

Mr Bilawal said Imran Khan was ignorant of ground realities and he did not have any solution to the problems the people were facing.

He said the PPP knew how to provide relief to the poor in difficult times as it did this even during the world recession from 2008 to 2013.

The PPP chairman said his party had strengthened the agriculture sector so that a prosperous farmer could grow crops for the betterment of the country’s economy. But this “selected” government, he lamented, was importing crops instead of paying appropriate prices to the local growers for their yield and destroying the sector.

Meanwhile, the steering committee of the 11-party opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement has deferred its decision to take part in the forthcoming by-elections till a summit of the PDM leadership.

PDM spokesperson Mian Iftikhar Hussain said in a statement that the committee had discussed the issue threadbare only to delay the final decision till a sitting of the alliance leaders.

He said the committee had also approved a tentative schedule for PDM’s protest rallies and this issue too would be finalised by the top leadership of the alliance.

According to the tentative schedule, the first rally will be held in Mardan on Dec 23, in Larkana on Dec 27, in Bahawalpur on Dec 30, in Bannu on Jan 6, and in Sialkot on Jan 9. In Malakand, Loralai, Tharparker, Khuzdar, Sargodha and Faisalabad, the rallies would be held on Jan 11, 13, 16, 18, 23 and 27, respectively.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2020