Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cabinet members of being aiders and abettors of terrorist groups.

Addressing a ceremony after inaugurating a bone marrow transplantation unit at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, the PPP leader said questions will be asked from the government about the ministers known for their contacts with the terrorist outfits. “I don’t have any personal enmity with any of the cabinet members. We want the system to keep going but if such people are given positions, then questions will definitely be asked,” he said, alleging that the PTI contested the last general election on the backing of the defunct organisations. “We have to defeat extremism to save the future of our coming generations,” he added.

Bilawal said if the government wanted to go to the International Monitory Fund (IMF) for a bailout package, it should have gone for it immediately after taking the charge. “The government is directionless and lacks any economic strategy,” he lamented.

PPP chief says conspiracy being hatched to roll back 18th Amendment in order to transfer all powers back to the centre

Bilawal said the incompetent PTI government has appointed Dr Hafeez Shaikh, who he said had already been rejected by his party, as advisor to the prime minister on finance. “Though it’s a prerogative of the prime minister to appoint or change anyone as per his choice, the manner Asad Umar has been removed as finance minister is a matter of insult and also a proof of incompetence of the incumbent government,” he said. “I have already said that they (PTI) don’t have competency to run the country’s affairs,” he said. “The real ‘Naya Pakistan’ is instead being built in Sindh and Thar where public service installations like hospitals and schools are being established,” he added.

Bilawal said a conspiracy is being hatched to roll back the 18th Amendment in order to transfer all powers back to the centre, adding that all such plans will be foiled with full force. “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is the architect of Pakistan’s constitution … they (PTI) should change themselves instead of changing the system,” he added.

Bilawal said the federal government has provided 50 percent less funds to Sindh province. He said he will snatch province’s rights from the federation, and directed the party leaders to serve the masses even with lesser money from the Centre. “There should be a new NFC award for the provinces,” he suggested.

“We have a weak health infrastructure in the province which has to be made strong,” he said in response to a question, adding that establishment of kidney, liver and bone marrow centres in public-sector hospitals in the province is a huge success. “Construction of a hospital in Gumbat and improvement and establishment of cyberknife at Jinnah Hospital Karachi are also big successes of the PPP,” he added.