Bilawal asks people to support his party to rid Pakistan of Sharifs

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked the people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to support his party to rid the country of rulers who he alleged had plunged it into the lowest levels on all fronts.

Speaking at his second election related public rally in the town of Bagh on Tuesday, he reiterated his criticism of the “friendship” between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi whom he repeatedly referred to as “killer of the Muslims of Gujarat and Kashmir.”

“When I refer to the carnage of Muslims of Gujarat under the patronage of Mr Modi, some people view it in the context of India Pakistan relations. I want to tell them that Mr Modi is neither Rajiv Gandhi, nor Manmohan Singh or Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” he said.

He recalled that when Mr Vajpayee visited Lahore to launch friendship bus, the PPP had termed it a ‘way forward’ but contrarily Mr Modi was viewed by many countries as a terrorist and denied visa for the very reason.

Criticizing Mr Sharif for attending Mr Modi’s swearing in ceremony and later inviting him to a family function in Pakistan, he said: “No ruler has dealt a blow greater than this to Kashmir issue.”

“Mian sahib you should have remembered that they are the people who have unleashed unpatrolled brutalities on Kashmiris…. but instead of lodging protest you even forgot to mention Kashmir in Ufa Declaration,” he said.

The PPP leader alleged that Mr Sharif had spoiled the foreign policy of Pakistan, which was why today India was Pakistan’s enemy, Afghanistan was angry at Pakistan and friendship with Iran was also at the lowest ebb.

Apart from that, the prime minister has also made a mockery of Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir issue, he said.

“If you support me I will soon rid you of these rulers… I will not disappoint you. I will not turn my back on you in any condition, at any cost,” he said, in a direct address to the people of Pakistan and AJK.

“I promise to take you to your destination and get back the status of this country in the comity of nations,” he added.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari alleged that Sharif brothers were least bothered about the country and more about their business.

It was because of their failed policies, poverty had risen to new heights and labourers and farmers were suffering the worst, he said.

He also questioned prime minister’s claims about development and said the development was nowhere on the ground but in TV and newspaper advertisements

Of the Panama Papers, he said the PPP wanted transparent investigations into it.

According to him, “conflicting statements and one after the other lie” on Panama Papers had complicated the case of prime minister, besides landing him in deep waters.

“The prime minister is answerable to the nation, but he is avoiding it,” he said.

While reminding Mr Sharif that he had demanded resignation of Yousuf Raza Gillani (then prime minister) in a public meeting, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said: “Either you should admit you were wrong or accept my demand and go home.”

He also criticised accountability and investigating bodies for sparing the ruling party leaders.

“Is it national accountability bureau or Noon League accountability bureau?”

He asked the UN to implement its resolution on Kashmir and grant Kashmiris their right to decide their fate like the people of East Timor and South Sudan.

Stating that Mr Sharif had done nothing for AJK except clamping sanctions, he asked the audience to support his party in the forthcoming elections for their honour and a better future of Kashmir.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari also came down on the Punjab government, particularly its Orange Train project.

Quoting Quaid-e-Azam on the status of minorities in Pakistan, he said it was ironical that the PML-N government in the Punjab was demolishing ten churches for Orange Train project, in spite of the fact they were not just worship places but also heritage sites.

He said on the one hand the PML-N government was spending Rs 162 billion for Orange Train project the entire annual budget of AJK was just Rs 68 billion.

“This is unjust, rather cruel distribution of wealth.”

HAIDER GILANI

At the outset of his written speech, Mr Bhutto-Zardari briefly mentioned release of Ali Haider Gilani.

“I congratulate you all for my brother Ali Haider Gilani has been freed from terrorists in Afghanistan,” he said.

Earlier, former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani said as he was leaving for Bagh, he learnt that his son had been recovered in an operation in Afghanistan.

“However, instead of visiting my son, I preferred to visit my sons and daughters in Bagh, in accordance with the ideology and thoughts of (Zulfikar Ali) Bhutto,” he said.

Others who spoke included PPP secretary general Jehangir Badar, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, Faryal Talpur MNA and Sardar Qamaruz Zaman.

Interestingly, while glorifying the late Bhuttos in her speech, Ms Talpur listed her nephew in the same lot.

“Martyrs never die, they are alive… In today’s gathering (Zulfikar Ali) Bhutto Shaheed is with us, BB (Benazir Bhutto) shaheed is with us and her son Bilawal Bhutto Saheed is also with us,” she said, in a slip of tongue.

Tariq Naqash