KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday said they will never compromise on the constitutional rights of provinces and the same would be snatched from the federation.
He expressed these views while addressing an event at the Sindh Assembly to commemorate 68th birth anniversary of his mother and late former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Bilawal said the PPP not only demanded just rights of Sindh, but also of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would go to every district to let people know the injustice being committed against them.
“Injustice is being committed in the country by denying the NFC award to the provinces. How long they will tolerate this injustice?” he said. He categorically said they won’t allow Altaf Hussain’s politics to be re-imposed in Sindh, which proved completely destructive.
“Sindh is a province of peace and tranquility and its people live like brothers. Nonetheless, I would take all measures into account to remove the sense of deprivation that the people feel here,” Bilawal said.
He said the fraudulent slogan of ‘Tabdeeli’ on which the incumbent government was selected and imposed on the people was depriving the people of their basic needs of easy employments and shelters.
“This is what they call a New Pakistan. They are destroying democratic norms and values. These frustrated elements are destroying the concept of Federation and Islamic democratic system that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had given to the country as provinces were thus integrated.”
Bilawal said in spite of financial crunch, challenges and unprecedented impediments that the global pandemic brought, the Sindh government sanely managed things and delivered amicably. “The performances of Sindh government are open and deserve due applause. Sadly, the rivals would never praise us,” he remarked.
Bilawal said in spite of challenges, impediments and financial crunch that the global pandemic Covid-19 brought with it, the Sindh government served its people diligently and managed affairs amicably. However, the rivals felt embarrassed and started crirticising and ridiculing the Sindh government. “It is as usual as a jaundiced eye always sees yellow in everything. But they can’t ditch the sane people of Sindh as the GDP of the province is better than other provinces due to well planning and determination of people’s elected Sindh government as compared to selector’s selected and ineligible federal government. The selected and ineligible Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar can’t compete with Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah. They should take lessons from Shah as to how to use limited resources and slashed revenue from NFC for the uplift and betterment of the people,” he added.
He said there was no denying that poverty existed in the country but Sindh reduced poverty as compared to other provinces, while the highest increase in poverty had been in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Sindh province's, he said, rural and urban per capita income is better than other provinces of the country.
Earlier, in a statement on the 68th birth anniversary of Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said today when governance in Pakistan had derailed and the institutions as well as the people were at the mercy of ruthless cartels, it was but natural for every Pakistani to miss the ‘Daughter of the East’.
He said Benazir Bhutto was not only Pakistan’s former prime minister, but she was also the name of a movement. “Such movements make a mark in the history of the world and are responsible for the birth of new progressive eras,” he added.
“As an elected prime minister, Benazir Bhutto supported the supremacy of the Constitution and Parliament. Simultaneously, she created institutions for people-friendly governance and ensured access to the fundamental rights such as education, health and employment for the underprivileged,” he continued.
Speaking of the struggles faced by the former PM during her tenure as the chairperson PPP, Bilawal said humanity was ashamed of the atrocities committed against her. Bilawal further said he would continue the struggle to fulfill the unfinished mission of his martyred mother of strengthening democracy and making Pakistan prosperous.