KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari predicted on Thursday that the newly elected government of Imran Khan was unlikely to complete its five-year term as his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had turned itself into “Pakistan Tehreek-i-Intiqam [Pakistan Vendetta Movement]”, referring to recent moves by the government, including the arrest of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif.

Talking to reporters at Karsaz monument of the Oct 18 victims where he along with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and senior party leaders arrived on the 11th anniversary of the incident, the PPP chairman lashed out at the PTI government and said that despite his “desire for stable democratic process” he could not resist to share his thoughts about its future.

“We are democratic people. We always want democracy and democratic process to get strengthened. But the attitude of Khan Sahab [PM Imran Khan] and the way poor people have been burdened with inflation, I don’t think that people of Pakistan would tolerate this government for five years,” he said in reply to a question about future of the government after its recent moves that caused inflation.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari cited a few episodes that emerged over the past few weeks and mainly referred to the arrest of the Pakistan Muslim League president, calling it a violation of due process of law.

PPP chairman cannot explain reasons for Sindh government’s lack of interest in probing Oct 18 Karsaz bombing

“I don’t hold any relief for Shahbaz Sharif. In the past what he and his party had done with my family and other political families, we for sure condemn that. But the arrest of the opposition leader just before by-elections cast serious doubts. We thought that we had left behind the politics of vendetta, but unfortunately the trend is not over yet,” he regretted.

While being strong against the PTI government for its policies, Mr Bhutto-Zardari, however, could not explain reasons behind the lack of interest shown by the PPP-led Sindh government that had been enjoying third straight term while probing the Oct 18 bombing despite announcing re-investigation into the incident more than once.

“I think that it should better be answered by the Sindh chief minister,” he said while responding to a question about the fate of such announcements by the provincial government. “But as I have been briefed about the incident and its probe, that night right after the incident the crime scene was washed out by the authorities that had all key evidence. It’s not about that particular incident, unfortunately in many terrorist activities victims in our country have never got justice.”

After ending her self-imposed exile, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto landed at the Karachi airport on Oct 18, 2007, where she was received by a large number of party workers. When the procession reached the Karsaz area at night, it came under twin bomb attacks. Ms Bhutto survived, but the assault left some 200 people dead and several others injured.

At that time, the Sindh government, led by then chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, had set up an inquiry tribunal to investigate the incident. The tribunal, headed by retired Justice Dr Ghous Mohammad, started proceedings and recorded the statements of about 40 witnesses. However, the PPP boycotted the tribunal and refused to recognise it. In fact, the party filed a petition in the Sindh High Court against it.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2018