Law is what CJP will follow: Bilawal

KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to take his statement back which he had delivered against the newly-elected chairman of Senate.

He was talking to the media just after formally inaugurating the Rs8.8 billion Karachi Thatta Dual Carriageway Road in a ceremony organised near Dhabeji on Thursday He was accompanied by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers Nasir Shah, Imdad Pitafi, party leaders and others.

Replying to a question, Bilawal Bhutto said the prime minister was a reasonable person. He shouldn’t have delivered such an irresponsible statement against the chairman Senate. He urged him to take his statement back, otherwise it would have a negative impact on institutions. To another question, the chairman said that the prime minister had met the chief justice of Pakistan with an aim to save the skin of Nawaz Sharif. He added that the chief justice was a man of principles and he would surely uphold the rule of law.

Talking about Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto said: “When he gets himself embroiled in a difficult situation, he lies at your feet but when he comes into power, he catches you by your collar.” This has been his [Nawaz] policy and “this time we are not going to save him,” he said.

Talking about fears of rolling back the 18th Constitutional Amendment and possible delay in election, the PPP chairman said the ISPR has given a clear statement on the issue. “There is no threat to democracy and election would be held on time,” he hoped.

Earlier, while addressing the inauguration ceremony, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto congratulated the chief minister on constructing the Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway in a short time period. “The Sindh government serves people but doesn’t do ‘showbazi’ [an oblique reference to Shahbaz Sharif],” he said and added Shahbaz Sharif spends millions of rupees on his personal publicity while the Sindh government avoids it.

The chairman said that the Sindh government through the Benazir Income Support Programme has steered 600,000 families out of poverty.

He lauded the services of the Sindh government in the health sector. He mentioned the NICVD (National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases) and its satellite centres and JPMC cancer unit as some of the best institutions.

Bilawal Bhutto said the people of Pakistan knew that it was the PPP which knows how to fight against terrorists and crush them, it is the PPP which also knew how to formulate foreign policy and how to stabilise economy and strengthen the institutions. “We are going to contest the general election on the basis of our strength among the masses and on the basis of our political maturity and Inshallah we would return to power,” he said.

Earlier, the chairman PPP, flanked by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers and party leaders, unveiled the plaque of the road amid slogans of ‘Jeay Bhutto’. He then drove on the road and his vehicle was driven by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The project was launched by the Government of Sindh in 2015 under the Public Private Partnership mode. After the successful completion of comprehensive bidding process, the Government of Sindh joined hands with the reputed Frontier Works Organization and the construction works started on 02 May, 2016.

The scope of the project is limited to developing 49.5 kms dualized carriageway road from Ghaghar Phattak to Makli Bypass, Thatta. The project includes 15 bridges, three pedestrian bridges in urban centers, 12 bus stops and access roads to connect the towns and villages along the route. The project has been completed at the cost of PKR8.85 billion in record time of 20 months and will be maintained by the FWO for 25 years based on DBFOT mode i.e. Design, Built, Finance, Operate and Maintainance basis.