Trust vote gained at gunpoint: Opp

ISLAMABAD: Bolstered by the election of PDM candidate and ex-prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in the Senate election, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Saturday said now the PDM will decide when and where the no-confidence motion would be tabled against Imran Khan, his speaker or puppet chief minister.

“This puppet cannot compete against the plan of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif,” he said while addressing PDM parliamentarians, who had gathered at the Sindh House, Islamabad to celebrate the victory of Yousaf Raza Gilani. PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also attended the event. Bilawal said Imran’s frustration was apparent to all and Gilani’s win had exposed that “fascist and puppet”. “Today, on the one hand, the entirePakistan is witnessing our victory, on the other, a grumpy old man can clearly see his end and is frustrated over Gilani's win,” he said, adding that now an authoritarian government was in place but “we played a political card and exposed this fascist and puppet”.

He said the PDM in a short time took big decisions, as Imran Khan had degraded the National Assembly.

“There was a very small space for the PDM but it was enough for us to expose this puppet. Every province in Pakistan is with the PDM due to which we won by-elections in all the four provinces,” he said, adding, “The win of our candidate on one seat in Islamabad has proved that politics is not only the art of possibilities, but also the art of making impossible possible.”

He said the puppet had not been able to run Pakistan in the last three years. He said Imran sprinted alone to win the race.

“The media is in chains and the judiciary has been under pressure for the last three years, while during the last three years political leaders, members of assemblies and their families have been pressurized and victimized. The puppet has given an impression that they are on one page and he is there to stay not only for five years or ten years but forever.”

He said due to the Charter of Democracy (CoD) signed by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, a peaceful transfer of power was made possible.

He said the Members had proved that Imran Khan had lost majority in the National Assembly.

“Now the president of Pakistan has also said that Imran Khan has lost majority. Imran cannot prove his majority by inviting a procession of his party goons to the parliament,” he said, adding that Imran Khan neither had support in the parliament nor in the public.

Bilawal said attacking parliamentarians, especially women, was a tradition of Imran Khan and his goons and it was not the culture and attitude of Pakistani people. He, on behalf of the entire PDM, strongly condemned an attack on PML-N parliamentarians.

Bilawal said the government was a threat to the system and it was unfortunate that Imran Khan did not condemn the attack on PML-N parliamentarians.

“This attitude tells that Khan is neither a democrat nor a politician. Using foul language and leveling accusations is his practice,” he said, adding that Imran Khan should have learned from Yusuf Raza Gilani how to be a prime minister.

The PPP chairman said Zardari spent 13 years in jail on trumped-up charges and 99 per cent cases against him proved false and the courts exonerated him but whatever Imran Khan had done to the nation in three years could not be pardoned by the people of Pakistan.

“Zardari restored the Constitution to its original form and gave the provinces their rights.”

He said his maternal and paternal families had been in politics for generations.

“My grandfather was among the founders and president of Sindh chapter of Awami National Party. We take pride that we have never come to power from backdoor and will never do so,” he said.

“For the last three years, our labourers, growers and traders are being economically murdered by Imran Khan and now they all celebrated our win in Islamabad. If the PDM continues its struggle with the same hard work, success will continue to be ours. This success will not be of one party rather of all people of Pakistan.”

Maryam Nawaz said Imran Khan took a false vote of confidence and made parliamentarians vote for him at gunpoint.

“Ahead of vote, the Parliament Lodges had turned into a "bunker" with armed guards patrolling them,” she said, adding that she was proud of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Musaddiq Malik, Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Marriyum Aurangzeb for taking on the vote thieves and PTI goons like lions.

“A handful of lions proved too much for a few dozen ‘burgers’; a lion is a lion, jackals are jackals,” she said.

She said when the PTI was in opposition, they used to bully the parliament. Today when they are in power, they have acted in the same way.

“They showed the worst possible behaviour by throwing a shoe at Ahsan Iqbal and attacking Marriyum Aurangzeb.”

Today, she said, the entire country was ashamed. Every daughter and mother in Pakistan have bowed their head in shame.”

She said the ruling elite lost their mind with the win of Yousaf Raza Gilani.

“They lost in the court of people and now those who were saving Imran Khan should also accept the verdict of people,” she said, adding what happened in Pakistan also happened in the United States and “Pakistani Trump” also tried to save himself.

“Their days are numbered and they have to go,” she said.

Gilani came down hard on the government and said it was the credit of his government that passed 18th Amendment, gave the NFC Award as it was the essence of democracy.

He said even President Alvi was convinced that the prime minister had lost majority.

Meanwhile, former president Asif Ali Zardari telephoned PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal and condemned attack on him and other PML-N parliamentarians including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Musaddiq Malik and Marriyum Aurangzeb and declared it a manifestation of an undemocratic philosophy.

Zardari said this attack was a testimony of political intolerance of the ruling party.

“Imran has lost all senses after the political defeat,” he said, adding that misbehavior with Marriyum Aurangzeb was unacceptable and condemnable.

“Imran Khan has promoted use of foul language and intolerance in politics,” he said.