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Saturday, April 13, 2024

Anti-Government and Pro-democracy: PPP chairman issues self-contradictory statements

PPP’s chairman says his party will become a part of JUI-F’s anti-government March but, at the same time, it will not let democracy derail in Pakistan. is Bilawal being self-contradictory?

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party, has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan, cricketer-turned-politician who challenged the status quo and managed to win the last General Elections, does not possess capability to complete the tenure. An elected assembly, according to the constitution of Pakistan, is supposed to complete five years in the office. However, PM Khan’s government is facing opposition from rival political forces for not being able to deliver on economic front.

According to details, the PPP leader was speaking to the media while visiting the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where he was briefed by the administration chiefly about the performance of CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System.

 

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said his party would certainly protest against the “selected” government, yet, “we’ll not become part of any act to derail democracy; or allow anyone to do the same”. This statement appeared to be self-contradictory. Theoretically, forcing a democratically elected government to resign constitute willful attempts to derail democracy.

A defeat in Larkana means a major blow to the ideological base of the PPP which primarily originates from these areas e.g. rural Sindh.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is preparing to march towards Islamabad and sabotage the order by challenging the writ of the state. There are some photos circulating on social media suggesting that the party is ready to use violence when and as needed.

The PPP has announced to support the JUI-F and become its part in anti-government campaign. The JUI-F has demanded the resignation of the premier and asked for the fresh elections.

While explaining his statement the PPP chairman said that “every political party and people belonging to every sphere of life, including traders, teachers, doctors and workers, are unhappy with the government’s policies. All this is quite not up to scratch and gives me no assurance to say Mr Imran Khan will complete his term successfully.”

Read more: PTI government bans JUI-F’s Ansarul Islam ahead of Azadi March

He said the federal government should take measures that could create unity and consensus among the people of Pakistan; but that could not be possible without solving people’s problem. Many political analysts believe that the PPP and PML-N want PM Khan to offer them political concessions in order to have a “friendly” opposition in the parliament.

“Instead of using NAB (National Accountability Bureau) and Rangers to rig elections of tiny significance, the prime minister should forge unity among people by solving their problems,” he said.

He was referring to the arrest of his father and aunt in money laundering and fake bank accounts case. And in the second instance, PPP chairman was lamenting over their latest political defeat in a by-election. The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) as well as Pakistan Tehreel e Insaf (PTI), candidate Moazzam Ali Khan Abbasi defeated Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Jamil Ahmed Soomro in Larkana, the Bhutto family’s hometown.

Read more: JUI-F’s Azadi March Will Not Sustain More Than a Week: Imran Khan

This defeat has created a serious political challenge for the PPP for two reasons. Firstly, the party has been in power for more than 10 years in the province. Secondly, Larkana is considered to be the stronghold of the PPP. A defeat in Larkana means a major blow to the ideological base of the PPP which primarily originates from these areas e.g. rural Sindh.

PPP along with PML-N is putting pressure on the government to force the latter to be softer on the ongoing accountability drive. But the premier has made it clear that “I can leave the office but I shall never compromise on the matters related to the rule of law”.