Daily Times

Holding the government responsible for the escape of former Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday said he would give his stand on the terrorist’s escape in his speech in the National Assembly.

“The escape of Ehsanullah Ehsan is a proof of the government’s incapability and failure. Imran Khan and other political parties in the past did not support PPP’s stance against terrorism and extremism. How a person responsible for APS tragedy and attack on Malala Yousafzai fled the country?” he asked. “If the government can imprison a former president in Adiala jail, why it couldn’t keep Ehsanullah Ehsan there?”

Talking to media at Parliament House on Monday, Bilawal wondered why no JTI was formed for the APS tragedy. “The affected of the tragedy are still demanding a judicial commission. How can we tell the international community that we are combating terrorism when the biggest terrorist of the country has fled the country?” He said that the parliament was misused once again and opposition was not being allowed to have a discussion on the PMDC bill. He said that the PMDC ordinance was forcibly extended and the parliament was wounded. “If the government wants to use executive powers and forcibly make laws then the parliament should be shut down. Every political party should have the opportunity to present its stand in the parliament. The opposition wanted to convey why young students are opposing the PMDC ordinance. The ordinance is against the interest of the doctors and medical students are worried about this ordinance and we want to become the voice of the students. The country is hurt and institutions are weakened by such ordinances.”

The PPP chairman demanded that a National Assembly session should be summoned to discuss the economic situation of the country. “We will talk on the issue in the parliament, but just one day’s discussion will not solve the problem. We think that the duration of the session should be extended to discuss about the economic situation of the country.”

On the issue of the transfer of Sindh Police inspector general, he said that 18th Constitutional Amendment was being violated on the issue. “The federation is contaminating administration’s role for establishing law and order in the province. Pakistan People’s Party had improved law and order in Sindh but because of the federal government, the law and order situation is made to be worse than before.” He asked how the problems would be solved by this attitude of the federal government.

Bilawal said that from day one PPP was against the connivance of government and the IMF. The failed and incapable government has made an agreement with the IMF which is against the people of Pakistan which hurts the interests of Pakistani people, he said. “The government will have to review the deal with IMF.” Regarding Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Chairman PPP said that he hopes that Maryam Nawaz is fulfilling the demands of her political position. He said that the focus of Maryam Nawaz Sharif at the moment is the health of her father. This is a violation of human rights that she is not being allowed to meet her father. He demanded of the government to allow Maryam Nawaz to go to her father.

He said that whenever he raised his voice against the government, he was sent a notice by the NAB and the people now had begun to realise that the NAB was PTI’s tool for political victimisation. “If NAB is an impartial institution then how is it investigating a one year old child? If NAB is impartial then it should probe the people in the government who have created a crisis of wheat. NAB should investigate BRT project and the names of the people involved in Panama Papers and the friends of the prime minister.”

Bilawal said that Supreme Court had declared him innocent. He said that the PPP will continue its struggle against ‘PTIMF’ government and its economic policies.