Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday said Prime Minister Imran Khan was using “Riyasat-e-Madina” rhetoric to distract people’s attention from the current economic woes.
Speaking to journalists alongside senior PPP leader Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad, Bilawal criticised the government’s concept of a “so-called welfare state”. The PPP chairman said in order to cover up the economic failures, talk of religion will be ramped up to divert people’s attention”.
“Here too, as our economy witnesses a downturn, the prime minister speaks of Riyasat-e-Madina to draw people’s attention away,” Bilawal said.
“Those who attempt to divert people’s attention can say their prayers, can keep their fasts and can make arrangements for their eternal abode in heaven. We, too, will continue our struggle,” Bilawal said.
Responding to rumours of an “emergency” presidential system being envisioned for the country, Bilawal said history had proven that such a move has always been “disastrous”.
“There is no room for such a move in our law or constitution. History has shown us that countries have fallen apart whenever such systems have been forcibly implemented,” he said.
Speaking of the supplementary finance bill recently passed by the National Assembly, the PPP chairman said that the government “forcibly passed the anti-people mini-budget”, adding that the Opposition protested inside and outside the House over the move.
“We were promised when the budget was being passed that some items will not be taxed, but that turned out wrong,” he said, citing the example of solar panels which were supposed to not be taxed but now will be.
Bilawal said the “mini-budget” was passed “under the cover of night”, as well the State Bank of Pakistan bill, both forcibly, without a count and without taking into consideration the opposition’s amendments.
He said such an “attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty had never before taken place in the history of Pakistan” and that the central bank “will no longer be answerable” to Parliament, judiciary or the people, and will “operate under dictation” from foreign institutions.
Bilawal said that the people of Pakistan “now demand that we all storm the streets against the government”.
Referring to a meeting of the central PPP leadership, he said the CEC (Central Executive Committee) “has decided that we will take to the streets on February 27 against the government”.
“We will start our march from Karachi on February 27, run a campaign against the government, against the PTIMF deal and economic crisis, and for our democratic and human rights,” he said.
He said the PPP did not believe in taking undemocratic measures. “Since day one, we demanded that we bring a no-trust motion against the government and this is what our campaign will be about,” Bilawal said.
He said the protest caravan will pass through the constituencies of the government allies and the constituencies of their own MNAs.
