SUKKUR: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is unlikely to visit Garhi Khuda Bukhsh Bhutto to attend the 36th death anniversary programme of his grandfather and PPP founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4.

He was replying to a question asked by local journalists at his residence here on Sunday. Mr Shah also spoke to the participants in a public meeting held in Nara taluka near Rohri town.

Observing that no particular party was being targeted in the ongoing Rangers-led operation against criminals in Kar­achi, he held out the assurance that he being the opposition leader in the National Assembly would certainly support any party subjected to excesses in the operation.

He said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was among the parties that had supported launching of the operation. “The operation will continue till the last terrorist is taken to task,” he said, adding: “we will not allow it [the operation] to target any particular party.” So far, it is being carried out without any discrimination, he observed.

In reply to a question, he said the PPP was not considering induction of the MQM in the Sindh government at the moment.

Responding to another question about the future of Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Mr Shah said it would be better for Dr Ibad “to quit as governor on his own and leave”.

Regarding the government’s policy on Yemen crisis, Mr Shah said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should consult the parliament and take all parliamentary parties in confidence before taking any decision. “We as a sovereign state should pursue a policy that ensures our own security keeping in view that we are already in a war-like situation as our forces are engaged in a fierce fight with terrorist outfits within the country,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2015

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