Bilawal flays PML-N’s ‘duplicity’ as ties dip to new low

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday attacked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) “duplicity” and called on it to either play its role in the opposition and oust the Punjab chief minister or admit they were “collaborators with the government.

The statement underscores the widening chasm between the PPP and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a major party of which is the PML-N. PDM chief Fazlur Rehman also had choice words to say about Bilawal, and has in several PDM rallies, referred to the party’s “treachery”.

Speaking to Geo News programme Jirga aired on Thursday, Fazl said “Mir Sadiq and Mir Jafar” were among the ranks of the PDM. “This harmed the PDM,” he added.

Maulana Fazl said had the PPP obeyed (the PDM), “this government would have ended today”. “Bilawal is responsible for the break-up of the PDM,” he said, referring to the call to resign from the assemblies. The PPP was opposed to resigning en masse, and has long called opposing the government while remaining in the assemblies. Bilawal has long called for mounting a no-confidence motion in Punjab.

In Rahim Yar Khan, Bilawal addressed PPP workers and said the PML-N’s “duplicitous policy can no longer work” and asked the party to “respect the vote” and use it against the government, Geo News reported.

“Your duplicitous policy will no longer work, either you should play your role as an opposition party or admit that you are the government’s collaborators,” the PPP chairman said.

Bilawal said his party would force PML-N to play its role as an opposition party and oust Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. “You cannot back out from using

your vote [against the government] after seeking respect for [the vote].”

He added: “The people will never forgive you if you back out now [...] you will have to do something now, or else your hypocrisy will be exposed before the people of Punjab.”

He implied that Buzdar could only continue his reign as the Chief Minister if the Shahbaz Sharif-led party had its “own interests” behind his rule. “You have to do one of two things: Either resign or use your vote.”

The PPP chairman said the opposition should unite and fight the government and claimed that “mere puppet” Buzdar would be sent packing soon. Bilawal urged the PML-N to join forces with PPP to oust Buzdar and Prime Minister Imran Khan, as when the “puppet’s puppet” falls, so will the Prime Minister.”