PPP leader criticises govt for renting vehicles for prince’s visit

PESHAWAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Bahramand Tangi has welcomed the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) but criticised the federal government for renting vehicles for his protocol.

Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Saturday, the senator said that the leadership of PPP had opposed auctioning of the vehicles of the Prime Minister’s House.

Former provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi and Jehanzeb Khan were also present on the occasion.

The PPP leader said Prime Minister Imran Khan should not take the credit for the visit of the Saudi crown prince. The PPP leader said that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had good relations. “The PPP has been a staunch proponent of cementing bilateral relations with Riyadh,” he added. He added the visit would help bring Saudi investment to Pakistan.

The senator said the PPP believed in democracy and independence of institutions.

He added that the PPP leadership was being threatened in the name of corruption. “Our leader Asif Ali Zardari and his team are not involved in corruption,” he said, adding that the PPP leadership was not afraid of facing courts and would fight the charges.

Bahramand Tangi lamented the removal of the picture of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto from the logo of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

He said that Imran Khan should initiate similar welfare projects for the wellbeing of the poor and the PPP would welcome. He said that his party would not tolerate the removal of the former prime minister’s picture from the logo of the project.

He alleged that PM Imran Khan had vilified Pakistan by issuing statements against Pakistani politicians, bureaucrats and other institutions accusing them of being corrupt.

“Why would foreign investors invest in Pakistan when PM has accused all government institutions of being corrupt,” he questioned.