Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday condemned the ‘violence’ in North Waziristan.
“How can Mohsin Dawar attack a checkpost? I don’t think an elected representative can conduct such an attack. And, if violence has taken place, we surely condemn it. But, violence should also not take place against peaceful citizens and political workers, who enjoy right to hold a peaceful protest,” the PPP chief said while speaking to reporters in Larkana. “I have been saying since day one that you may disagree with them [PTM], you can disagree with their point of view 100 per cent, you can argue with them. But, if you will not engage with the young politicians who come from a place such as FATA, if you will not attempt to reduce their grievances or justify their misperceptions, then we have all seen what used to happen during the Musharraf era in Balochistan. We have all seen what happened with Bangladesh, with East Pakistan, following Ayub Khan’s dictatorship. And now, if we will label our own citizens, our own children, our own politicians as traitors when they talk about rights, democracy, rule of law, then we will set ourselves on a very dangerous path,” he warned.
On the issue of HIV outbreak in Larkana, Bilawal said the federal government is giving the impression that Sindh has become ‘Aidistan’. “HIV positive cases are more in Punjab than any other province, but nobody is talking about that. Federal government is raising the issue of HIV cases and conspiring against the people of Sindh,” he said. “Sindh’s institution are being snatched, NFC share is not being given, Sindh is being weakened economically. Gas is produced in Sindh but it is denied to the province … water is also not being given as per 1991 accord,” Bilawal said. “They are putting Centre in danger by snatching institutions from Sindh. Khan Sahab wants to make Lady Reading Hospital a model hospital but he has handed over it to one of his relatives who has ruined it,” he said, and warned Imran Khan to withdraw notification of taking over three major hospitals of Sindh.