MULTAN / D.G. KHAN: PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has accused both the ruling PTI and the opposition parties, mainly PML-N, for the suffering of the masses.

Talking to media in Multan on Sunday, the PPP chairman, who is on a week-long tour of south Punjab, said a government that was formed in an undemocratic manner could be ousted only by taking the democratic step of bringing a no-confidence motion against it. “However, it could not be ousted because of confusion among the PML-N ranks. The day this confusion is over, the government will be ousted.”

According to him, the opposition is required to show seriousness in parliament. “Parliament has been robbed. We have to retrieve the space left in parliament by the opposition. The way to oust the government comes from Punjab by tabling a no-confidence move against [Punjab Chief Minister Usman] Buzdar. Once the Buzdar government is ousted, [Prime Minister Imran] Khan will not be able to handle the situation at the centre,” he added.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the confusion within the PML-N ranks stemmed from the discord over the leadership, citing the rebuttal of party president Shehbaz Sharif’s statement by its vice president.

Says Nawaz’s return to Pakistan is PML-N’s internal matter

“Shehbaz does not have the authority to make even an ordinary statement. We tried our best to create a consensus on the issue of ousting the government but there is a lack of consensus in a party [PML-N]. First we were asked to show the numbers in parliament which was done by electing Yousuf Raza Gilani as a senator and then we were asked to resign. How come we move a no-confidence motion by resigning,” he wondered.

The PPP chairman said when his party realised that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), particularly the PML-N, was not serious in undoing undemocratic acts through a democratic move of bringing no-confidence motions first against the Buzdar government in Punjab and then the Imran Khan government at the centre, it decided to go to the masses.

Answering a question, he said Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan was PML-N’s internal matter. However, Altaf Hussain or Ashraf Ghani model could not work in Pakistan. “If you want to leave a democratic forum, then resign and come out of the assemblies and make speeches. But I cannot do such a politics,” he added.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the role the PML-N had played by joining hands with the ‘establishment’ to cause damage to the PPP in Punjab was part of history. “Whenever there is a matter of national interest, we come forward ignoring the past. Benazir Bhutto had visited them at the time of signing of Charter of Democracy and I visited them in jail.”

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was in power because of the wrong decisions of the PDM leadership, adding that the PTI government should fulfil its promise to establish south Punjab province.

Terming the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority bill an attempt to silence the media, the PPP chairman said his party would participate in all the protests of journalists.

He said the PTI government wanted to deprive the people of their identity by introducing Single National Curriculum, which would be resisted. He said Seraiki language would also be taught to students in Sindh.

Addressing a public meeting in Dera Ghazi Khan on Sunday evening, Mr Bhutto-Zardari asked the people of south Punjab to come forward to elect the PPP the way they elected Quaid-i-Awam Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto to save Pakistan.

After coming to power at the centre, he promised, the PPP would establish Wasaib (Seraiki province). He said he would visit every district of south Punjab to muster support of people against the “selected government”. He predicted the next prime minister and Punjab chief minister would be Jiyalas.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2021