Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday threatened to stage a long march if the government attempted to roll back the 18th Amendment, a private TV channel reported.

Talking to reporters at the Karachi Press Club, Bilawal said both democracy and 18th Amendment are under assault in the country. “PPP brought 18th Amendment in collaboration with all the political parties and after a prolonged political struggle. We will defend it at every cost,” he said. “We can even go for a long march to protect it,” he asserted.

Bilawal said if other institutions can strengthen themselves why can’t the parliament. He asked how the ruling party which cannot even tolerate Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif’s speech can run the government. “They should use parliament’s forum rather than resorting to verbal abuses. Only the elected representatives should have the right to make decisions for the future of the country,” he said.

“Special facilities were provided to aunty Aleema in the new budget,” he said. “The PTI claimed to have as many as 200 talented people in its cadres. But, this is a blatant lie,” he observed.

Bilawal said PPP was a ‘soft target’ for the journalists, adding that they did not get angry over criticism. He said PPP did not use pressure tactics against the journalists like other parties did. He also underscored the need for legislation to protect journalists as well as the freedom of expression.

Meanwhile addressing an all-parties conference on the Kashmir issue, former president Asif Ali Zardari urged media to support the opposition’s attempt to overthrow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He pledged to address various issues being faced by the media industry if it supports the opposition’s movement to remove the PTI-led government.

Speaking on the Kashmir issue, Zardari said Pakistan’s political parties have always set aside their differences to come together for the Kashmir cause. “Kashmir is in our DNA. It is an integral part of the Pakistani identity and we will never let Kashmir be separated from us,” pledged.

The former president said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi must realise that Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir issue is not limited to any government’s policy. “Pakistani nation is one when it comes to the Kashmir cause and it will never abandon the people of Kashmir,” he asserted.

Zardari said Pakistan’s efforts to resolve Kashmir issue were dealt serious blows during the times of military dictators, and added that the younger generations would pursue the matter till a fair resolution is achieved.

Calling for international intervention against New Delhi, he said Islamabad will continue to use all global forums to highlight India’s brutalities in the occupied valley.

Published in Daily Times, February 3^rd 2019.