Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Wednesday criticised the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for its decision to present budget for the next fiscal year ahead of the general elections expected in July this year. Calling it a ‘pre-poll rigging’, the PPP chairman said the PML-N has no right to present the new budget for the entire fiscal year. “Presenting budget is the right of the new government that will be formed after the elections,” he said while addressing media in Islamabad. “By presenting budget for the entire year, the PML-N is usurping the rights of the new government and parliament.” The PML-N should only present the budget for the next few months, he advised. Bilawal also slammed the PML-N’s ‘respect the vote’ slogan as being ‘pointless and meaningless’. “PML-N’s politics of confrontation and blame game is not in the wider interests of the nation,” he said. Commenting on the ongoing war of words between the ruling party and the judges of the superior judiciary, Bilawal said confrontation with judiciary was against the democratic setup in the country. Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif has indulged himself in a ‘very dirty politics’, he said, adding that those talking about ‘sanctity of vote’ had nothing to do with democracy. Criticising those who had left the party, Bilawal said the ‘politics of turncoats’ was a threat to democracy, adding that ideological politicians never switch loyalties. Those who left the PPP for other parties in the past could not earn as much respect and political stature as given by the party, he said. Bilawal said that revoking the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws at this time would be wrong as parliament was about to complete its tenure. However, the PPP would amend the laws after assuming power following the upcoming elections, he added. Published in Daily Times, April 26th 2018.