Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday reacted strongly to the placement of party’s top leadership on Exit Control List (ECL).

The Punjab chapter of PPP that also attended the large public gathering in Garhi Khuda Buksh organised on Thursday to mark the 11th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto termed the placement of party’s top leadership on ECL as “dual standards of accountability”.

While talking exclusively to Daily Times, PPP Punjab General Secretary and former Member of National Assembly Chaudhry Manzoor said that these are double standards of accountability as the names of former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were placed on ECL while ignoring over a dozen leaders of the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf who are also facing several charges.

“All the leaders and ministers of the ruling party facing the cases should also face the same treatment if the accountability process is free and transparent,” he added. “Our claim has vindicated today as we already have said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would be the ultimate target on the pretext of Asif Ali Zardari,” he said, while adding that Bilawal has nothing to do with these cases.

He was of the opinion that the politics of Bilawal perturbs the so-called contractors of the country because he talks about the rights of provinces and therefore becomes their target.

The government placed 172 people named in the Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) report regarding the fake accounts case on the ECL that also includes Zardari, Bilawal, Member of Provincial Assembly Faryal Talpur, former two-times Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and incumbent Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah.

It is pertinent to mention that Bilawal delivered a fiery speech on the death anniversary of his mother and also urged workers to ready themselves for a new battle. He also termed the JIT report as “a pack of lies” and said that he himself would lead the new fight as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto also fought wars for the survival of this country.

Meanwhile, PPP Parliamentary Leader in Punjab Assembly Syed Hassan Murtaza, also while talking exclusively to Daily Times said that the corrupt elements within the government are enjoying their rule while a vindictive campaign is rampant against the opposition.

Talking about the Asghar Khan case, he said that he will look if the government places the names of former Army generals involved in the Asghar Khan case on the ECL. He further added that the PPP will launch a strong protest if any attempt to roll back the 18th Amendment and provincial autonomy is made.

“We are already in contact with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) despite the fact that both the PPP and PML-N have their own identities and they would also be consulted on the ongoing vindictive campaign against the opposition parties,” he said.

PPP believes in the rule of law and we will not take law in our own hands but peaceful protest is our fundamental right, he concluded.

Published in Daily Times, December 29^th 2018.