PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party leaders have accused the caretaker government of supporting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and ill-treating the rest of political parties during the election campaign, and warned of strong reaction if the ‘discriminatory’ attitude was not stopped.

Talking to this correspondent here on Friday, Azam Afridi, focal person of the election campaign of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in NA-8, Malakand, said the party chief was scheduled to reach Peshawar at 4pm today (Friday) but he was not allowed to board a plane at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore.

“He will definitely arrive here to take part in the election campaign and visit Bilour House to express condolence with Bilour family over the death of Haroon Ahmad Bilour,” he said.

He said the timings of Bilawal’s meetings had been changed in a state of compulsion.

Similarly, the party’s women wing’s provincial president Nighat Orakzai also confirmed that Bilawal would reach Peshawar, saying the government was creating hurdles in way of the PPP chief but he was determined to continue the election campaign.

She was critical of the ‘discriminatory’ treatment given to her party chief at the Lahore airport.

She said Bilawal was not allowed to board flight for Peshawar, while PTI chairman Imran Khan was allowed to board the plane.

The former MPA alleged that the caretaker set-up was fully supporting Imran Khan and creating hurdles for other political parties.

She maintained that like the general elections of 2013, the caretaker government was siding with PTI.

She said instead of creating hurdles for political parties, the interim setup should concentrate on the security situation of the country.

She said that arrival in the provincial capital, Bilawal would hold meetings with former PPP lawmakers, central and provincial executive committees and provincial cabinet.

“On Saturday (today), the PPP chairman will leave for Malakand, she said, adding the party workers would accord welcome to their chairman at customs checkpost on the border of Mardan and Malakand. Then, he will lead a rally to Batkhela, where he will address a public meeting at Zafar Park,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2018