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Thursday March 28, 2024

PML-N thinks only Islamabad its responsibility: Bilawal

By Zubair Ashraf
May 13, 2018

KARACHI: Asserting that only his party is the political future of the city, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari dubbed the rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan akin in violent practices.

Speaking at a public meeting in Bagh-e-Jinnah on Saturday, Bilawal said the proof that the PTI and MQM are the same was witnessed a few days ago in the Hakeem Saeed Ground. He blamed Imran Khan party for attacking PPP. On May 7, the PTI and PPP workers clashed after they forced their claim on the ground for holding their corresponding events. As a result at least a dozen people were injured, two vehicles were set on fire and several others were pelted with stones.

The PPP chairman said, “we won’t let Imran Khan become the next Altaf Hussain in Karachi.” Alleging the PTI of putting their plan of tarnishing the peace into motion, he said the PPP has foiled their designs. He claimed the guards of the PTI leaders opened fire on the PPP workers during the clash. “But, keeping in view the peace in the city for which the PPP has laid down their lives, I not only asked my party to change the venue but also invited Imran Khan to hold his public meeting in the Hakeem Saeed Ground,” he said. He said on May 12, 2007 the allies of the then president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf attacked and killed the PPP workers in the city and 11 years later, their allies attacked them again when they were preparing to commemorate their deceased colleagues. It was Bilawal’s second speech to a public meeting in Karachi in the two weeks.

He referred to his April 29th Liaquatabad meeting and said “If I knew that after my jalsa the MQM groups would reunite then I would have done that much earlier. At least then these political dwarfs would not have disappointed their voters and supporters.” He said the MQM destroyed itself by violent practices and pro-dictator politics. Narrating the scenes of the May 12 mayhem in the city, Bilawal said on the “black day” 58 people were killed including innocent public and political activists. “It was all done by the militant wing of the party that claims to have the mandate of Karachi.”

Talking about the quota system, he specifically addressed the people of Karachi and said they have been told that it was started by his grandfather and the PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. On the contrary, he said, it was started by the first prime minister of the country Liaquat Ali Khan. “Neither the PPP nor Bhutto Shaheed did any such legislation. You’ve been told a lie. Those doing so just want to provoke you.”

Holding the MQM responsible for the water and waste crisis, Bilawal asked the people if they wanted to change the situation or wanted to remain in it. He said if the PPP made it to power in the city then it will end the ‘isolation’ created by MQM. He said he knew what the problems of Karachi are and said the situation is nearly the same across the entire southern region of country, Sindh and Balochistan, because of the Centre’s ‘step-sibling attitude’ towards them. He pledged the PPP will install desalination plants to make sea water usable.

Criticizing Imran, Bilawal said he is inciting the people on his ‘New Pakistan’ slogans whilst he failed to show even a reflection of his claim in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite being in power there for the past five years. He said Imran has dual standards. He asked the people of Karachi to vote for the PPP in the general election 2018 and claimed he will redress the problems faced by them like of lack of employment opportunities in the public sector and inadequate share in resources. Citing an MQM slogan, he said, people of Karachi have their destination and their leader as well.