I’ll visit Maryam if invited, says Bilawal

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said he will visit Pakistan Muslim League-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz if invited by her for a meeting. Talking to the media at the residence of central party leader Samina Khalid Ghurki after chairing a meeting of the PPP Women Wing Punjab, Bilawal said the PPP could adopt any democratic move to rid the country of the incumbent government. He said his sister Aseefa Bhutto Zardari would lead the party if he was arrested, saying all options were open for his party to topple the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He said that like in the past, the PPP would bring change without the support of the establishment. Criticising the PTI government, Bilawal said it was responsible for price-hike in the country and stated that the PPP made Pakistan a wheat-exporting country. But an incapable and selected ruler made it a wheat-importing nation, he added.

Addressing the women workers, Bilawal Bhutto said no one could understand the troubles caused by price-hike in the country better than women. He said the PPP would be part of any anti-government movement in March. He said the country was sinking under the Tsunami of inflation and it had become highly difficult for women to even run the house kitchen.

Bilawal said the prime minister used to say that inflation in the country meant a corrupt ruler was ruling it and stated that all the statistics, indicators proved that price hike had increased manifold under Imran. He asked prime minister to clarify his position and tell nation in what kind of corrupt practices he was involved in. The PPP chairman said the deal with the IMF by the government had increased the burden on the poor population of the country and in their one-and-a-half years rule, the rulers had done nothing but hurled accusations, abuses against the political rivals.

The PPP chairman also urged the opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif to return to the county and play his role.

Meanwhile, Bilawal also visited the residence of former senior minister Punjab Malik Mushtaq Awan and expressed condolence over the death of his brother.

NNI adds: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday said that if given a chance to govern, his party would protect the country’s economy.

He said they could not support any undemocratic government and urged opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif to return to the country and play his role in the prevailing situation.

Earlier, the PPP chairman chaired a consultative meeting during which some party leaders expressed displeasure over Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) inactive role in the opposition.

Bilawal Bhutto’s spokesman Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the PML-N leadership was abroad, vice-president was silent and the opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif was nowhere to be found. The silence of PML-N is raising questions, the PPP leader remarked.