KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday said that legitimate opposition always put the country first.

The statement came a day after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan gave a fresh deadline to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his address to a rally at Raiwind asking the latter to present himself for accountability or he would not be allowed to govern the country.

In a tweet, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said: “Good show. Wrong place. Wrong time. Legitimate opposition always puts #Pakistan first. Country over politics especially at a time of crisis.”

The tweet clearly referred to the tension on the Line of Control that has escalated in the wake of unprovoked firing by Indian forces across the LoC in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

To discuss consequences of the Indian aggression and the prevailing situation in Pakistan, the PPP chairman called a meeting of senior party leaders at Bilawal House.

While addressing a press conference at the PPP media cell with senior party leaders Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Sherry Rehman and Qamar Zaman Kaira, opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah said that the party leadership was seriously concerned over the prevailing situation that had emerged after Indian aggression within the boundaries of Pakistan.

Mr Ahsan rejected the Indian government’s claim of surgical strike and said Pakistan saw it as Indian attack on its territory and sovereignty.

Speaking on the issue of offshore companies, he said the joint opposition had already tabled a bill in the National Assembly. “It should be allowed to pass. But if the treasury benches opposed it, the matter would be taken to the masses,” said Mr Ahsan.

He said the Federal Investigating Agency, National Accountability Bureau, Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan, State Bank of Pakistan and all other institutions of investigations were under the direct control of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It would be a folly to believe those institutions would execute their constitutional duties amicably without bias, he added.

Mr Kaira said the federal government was favouring the blue-eyed in the disguise of privatisation of national institutions. He might also sell the Pakistan State Life Corporation to his friends. But the PPP would oppose the move with full force, he declared.

He questioned as to how the management of Pakistan Steel Mills could hand over 157 acres of the PSM land to the Punjab government. He said it was not only illegal but also would create more division among the provinces.

Ms Rehman said the PPP was keenly observing the foreign policy of the incumbent federal government. She condemned the Indian aggression inside Pakistan and said the issue of Kashmir could not be resolved militarily.

Strangely enough, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his address to the UN general assembly ignored to mention India’s involvement in Balochistan that should have been raised.

Senator Taj Haider, Ghulam Qadir, Fida Hussain Dhakkan and Lateef Mughal were also present at the press conference.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari, meanwhile, asked the PPP coordination committee of South Punjab to complete reorganisation of the party as soon as possible on the recommendations of party cadres.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2016