‘Selected’ wants to destroy everything: Bilawal

GHALLANAI: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had launched the economic murder of the masses, adding the democratic and economic rights of the people were being trampled in the “Naya Pakistan.”

He was speaking at a big public meeting at Ekkaghund area of the Mohmand tribal district which observers termed an impressive power show of the party in this sizzling summer.

He said that the selected people want to destroy everything as he questioned for how long they would be made to win the elections. A large number of the PPP workers and supporters had come for the public meeting despite the scorching heat besides the national and provincial party leaders were present on the occasion. The PPP chairman fiercely attacked the PTI government after accusing it of drowning the countrymen in the price-hike Tsunami caused by, what he said, were wrong policies of the government and the recent budget loaded with heavy taxes.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the present government had failed to provide any relief to the masses. “The price spiral has made life miserable for poor people. The masses’ condition is worsening with each passing day,” he said in his speech punctuated by the PPP workers sloganeering.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was highly critical of the federal budget and said it had been passed by the National Assembly fraudulently, claiming that the PTI government wanted to pit provinces against one another.

The PPP chairman criticised the PTI government after accusing it of launching a witch-hunt against the political opponents and victimising rivals in the name of accountability. “This situation is worse than the ones people had faced during General Ziaul Haq and General Pervez Musharraf regimes,” he believed.

“Drugs are permissible for this Ladla (favourite) but forbidden for Rana Sanaullah. Benami accounts are not allowed for Asif Zardari but allowed for Ladla. The offshore company is not allowed for Nawaz Sharif but allowed for Ladla,” he said while alluding to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the PTI government was scared of the KP Assembly election in the merged districts. “This is because the government has not honoured the promises it had made to the tribal people at the time of the merger of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the tribal people have been denied rights. “Even after merger with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa there is no political freedom in these districts,” he lamented. The PPP chairman said his party had old ties to the tribal people and their areas and had always come forward with plans for their development and prosperity.

“PPP founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had carried out unprecedented development in the tribal areas,” he reminded the audience. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded tangible steps for the welfare of the tribal people, adding the merged districts should be given a proper share in the National Finance Commission Award.

The PPP candidate for PK-103, Arshad Bakhtiar, party KP chief Humayun Khan, also spoke on the occasion. The party candidate for the PK-104, Israel Khan Safi, local leaders Jangrez Khan, Shahsawar, Dr Farooq Afzal, Fazle Hadi, Imtiaz Khan and others were present as well. said some so-called party leaders who could not bring along even five persons for the public meeting through their attitude were causing demoralisation among the sincere PPP workers.