Daily Times

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Monday announced to oppose the appointment of Dr Reza Baqir as governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

While talking to media here at the Parliament House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said sudden removal of finance minister, SBP governor and FBR chairman is a serious issue He said the incumbent government lacks leadership qualities, adding that it seems the government is making a compromise on economic self-reliance. “Will IMF now decide who to be appointed on top slots … the system will not work this way,” the PPP leader asserted.

Bilawal said the PPP fought for public when it approached IMF in the past. He said the PPP gave jobs to the people against the will of the IMF in the past, “but the incumbent government is only following IMF demands.” “Now IMF will be making decisions of the finance minister, FBR chief and the governor of State Bank. When we went to IMF, we fought for the public. IMF is in need of Pakistan as much as we need them,” he added.

Bilawal said his party will raise the issue inside and outside the parliament with full force, adding that the SBP head is appointed for three years and cannot be replaced forcefully.

Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid rich tribute to party martyr Shaheed Abdul Razzaque Jharna. Jharna was executed during dictatorship of Zia on May 07, 1984, in Lahore. He was a daring and highly courageous jiyala (worker), who walked dancing to the gallows and embraced martyrdom with pride, a statement issued by the PPP media cell said.

In his message, the PPP chairman said that the bravery, courage and dedication of Shaheed Jharna is the hallmark of PPP jiyalas. He said the tremendous sacrifices of the jiyalas for democracy are unprecedented and find no match in modern history.

He said that people’s rights and democracy have become invincible today, and it is only because of the sacrifices of party leaders Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and countless jiyalas. “They embraced martyrdom, faced imprisonments, were tried on fake charges, faced media trials and suffered from enforced exile but they didn’t give up,” he said, adding that these sacrifices won’t go in vain and bear the required fruit. “We will continue our struggle for the supremacy of the parliament and the constitution, basic human rights, rule of law and a society with equal rights for everyone,” he concluded.