It’s unacceptable Karachi’s affairs run from Islamabad: Bilawal

HYDERABAD/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari alleged on Thursday the federal government wanted to take over Karachi as a day earlier a minister presented a plan to usurp the metropolis.

Addressing a press conference here, Bilawal said: “Running a country is not like playing cricket match. Government is playing with the Constitution but we will save the country with our blood.”

The PPP chairman further said government’s policies were killing farmers, businessmen and ordinary citizens, adding Pakistan was dismembered in the past due to such policies.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan has made people political prisoners and it is unacceptable that affairs of Karachi are being run from Islamabad,” he said. “Democracy that was progressing is being pushed towards dictatorship and the basic rights of the people are being snatched.” He said Sindh provides gas to the entire country, adding undemocratic forces were attacking the Sindh government.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Thursday the federal government had no plan to impose governor rule or emergency in Sindh.

Talking to the media outside the Parliament House, she said the statement of Law Minister Farogh Naseem had been twisted and reported out of the context. She said Karachi—the commercial hub of the country—had been turned into a heap of garbage as some elements during the past 11 years had been misusing its resources for personal gains.

She said the nation was expecting from the ruling elite of Sindh to resolve the issues of the province on priority, adding: “The people of Sindh in general and Karachi in particular are paying the price of bad performance of the provincial government”.

Dr Awan said the lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other opposition parties in Sindh could not help resolve problems of their constituencies due to non-cooperation of the government. She asked the Sindh government to adopt the path of cooperation instead of confrontation and prepare a strategy along with the federal government for the welfare of the people.

The special assistant further said Prime Minister Imran Khan would attend a rally in Muzaffarabad on Friday (today) to express solidarity with the besieged Kashmiris. “The joint statement of UN Human Rights Council is continuation of Pakistan’s positive efforts on Kashmir issue,” she said, adding: “The nation has to show unity on Kashmir issue to give a message of solidarity to Kashmiris.”

Dr Awan said some elements were trying to divide the nation on this issue and urged the opposition to refrain from issuing irresponsible statements about Kashmir issue.

She also congratulated the people believing in democracy and having democratic approach on the completion of one year of the new democratic dispensation, saying: “Parliament is now functional and playing its role effectively”.

She said President Arif Alvi addressed the joint session of the parliament at a time when Kashmir issue needed to be highlighted at international forums more effectively.