Daily Times

KARACHI: A meeting of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership and MPAs presided over by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PPP Parliamentarian President Asif Ali Zardari was held at Bilawal House on Friday.

The meeting reviewed arrangements and preparations for the mega public gathering on the occasion of the 11th Day of Martyrdom of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to be commemorated at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, Larkana, on December 27.

The meeting was attended by Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nisar Ahmed Khuhru, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sardar Lateef Khosa, Ali Madad Jatak, Humayun Khan, Chaudhry Lateef and other party’s senior leaders including cabinet ministers and MPAs.

Addressing the meeting, former president Asif Ali Zardari said that he would not get intimidated by adversities. He said he and his party were used to dealing with hostile situations and they would come out stronger this time as well.

He said the adversities faced by the party were nothing in comparison to those faced at the time of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, and before that when she courageously stood against the martial law imposed by the General Zia.

Zardari dismissed all allegations leveled against him as baseless and said that his rivals should know that they would not be able to intimidate them by forging evidence against him. “They should bear in mind that our level of tolerance and endurance is far greater than their tactical maneuvering. They will fall down in the end.”

Zardari said that with the untiring support of the people the PPP will prove on December 27 that it can’t be eliminated and that the party would form its governments in the Centre, and in all four provinces and in Azad Kashmir and in Gilgit-Baltistan after sweeping the next general elections.

Addressing the meeting, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would be commemorated with zeal and passion. He said that in the coming days the party’s Central Executive Committee would formulate a new strategy for the party. He said that a conspiracy has been hatched to once again push the country towards the one unit setup. Basic utilities such as Gas and Electric supply have been suspended while on the other hand, due shares of the provinces are being withheld by the federation, he lamented. In addition, a campaign has also been launched in support of construction of the disputed Kalabagh Dam.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the 1973 Constitution to the people of Pakistan while military Dictators had been spoiling the same during their authoritarian rules over the country.

The PPP Chairman said that PPP restored the 1973 Constitution in its original shape and form through the 18th constitutional amendment and the party would not compromise over that amendment because the PPP has always defeated undemocratic forces.

Separately, the PPP on Friday decided to move court against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for defamation.

Talking to journalists, PPP leader Latif Khosa made the announcement, saying that PTI leaders had hurled baseless allegations against Zardari that he owned a flat in New York.

He said it was the agenda of the government to put all popular opposition leaders behind bars. He said Zardari’s property in the US had been sold off some 20 years back, and now Zardari owned no property in the US.

PPP accuses Shahzad Akbar of meeting JIT members

Several PPP leaders on Friday alleged that Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar held a meeting with members of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to influence the process of accountability.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Friday, Maula Bakhsh Chandio asked the government to tell the public how could it know in advance about the decisions of courts and the JIT.

Chandio said that the government was only hurling accusations and not performing its duties.

“The government should reveal if it has evidence,” he said, and added those who were sending others to Adiala jail will also go there very soon.

Speaking on the occasion, Nafeesa Shah said that Prime Minister Imran Khan sent Shahzad Akbar to meet JIT members. She appealed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar to take notice.

He asked where were the promises the PTI government had made with the masses, adding what changes were brought about by those who raised the slogan of change in the lives of the masses.

On the other hand, Saeed Ghani said that no arrest of the PTI leader is going to be made, adding that the inquiries and arrests of the PPP leaders are being carried out.

In Islamabad, Former Interior Minister and PPP senator Rehman Malik said the party would not submit to any pressure. “Asif Ali Zardari is a victim of political which hurting and he has faced it many times, and has always emerged victorious and will be emerging successful this time too,” he said. Senator Rehman Malik said that earlier acquittal of former President Asif Ali Zardari in many fake cases by concerned courts had already proved that the leadership of PPP had always been targeted through fake & political motivated cases.

Malik further said, “I am foreseeing political turmoil in the near future in the country as the confrontational politics of the present government will lead to further instability.”.

Published in Daily Times, December 22^nd 2018.