PPP accuses govt of spoiling national harmony

Published March 11, 2019
MNA Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari says ruling party's ministers were indulging in non-issues, wasting parliament's time. — DawnNewsTV/File
MNA Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari says ruling party's ministers were indulging in non-issues, wasting parliament's time. — DawnNewsTV/File

LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has accused the government of spoiling the harmony created by the opposition parties in the wake of recent Indian aggression.

Speaking at a meeting of the party’s senior leaders here on Sunday, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the country was facing dangers on its borders while the rulers were indulging in non-issues.

He said the ministers were creating stir on non-issues both in the National and Punjab assemblies. The ministers would waste the parliament’s time by giving controversial statements there, he added.

Announcing his plans for visiting each town of Punjab, the PPP chairman said he could not sit as a silent spectator because the government had gone to its extreme. He said he would address bar associations and also visit press clubs and other platforms during his mass-contact drive.

Bilawal spells out plan for mass contact drive

He directed the PPP parliamentary party in the Punjab Assembly to raise issues of national interest and avoid wasting time of the nation as well as disallowing hijacking of the house by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) through the latter’s tendency of indulging in non-issues.

Talking to the media along with ­party’s provincial information ­secretary Hassan Murtaza after the meeting ­outside the Bilawal House, Punjab PPP president Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the ministers’ controversial ­statements were spoiling the ­atmosphere of harmony in the country ­created by the efforts of the opposition parties.

He said the national unity exhibited by the nation, media and opposition was spoiled by late Gen Umar’s son (Asad Umar) through his speech in the National Assembly.

He regretted that Prime Minister Imran Khan also displayed a similar attitude (in his speech in Thar) which was condemnable.

Mr Kaira claimed that a grave conspiracy was in the works against the country but the unity shown by the masses and the opposition parties foiled the plot.

Criticising the PTI government, he said that the rulers considered abusing the (opposition) people as their achievement.

Despite this attitude, he said, the PPP had tried to take the government along in the larger national interest.

He said the PPP never sought NRO in the past nor it would do so in future.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...
Return to the helm
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

With Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, will we see more grievances being aired?
Unvaxxed & vulnerable
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Unvaxxed & vulnerable

Even deadly mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria have vaccines, but they are virtually unheard of in Pakistan.
Gaza’s hell
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Gaza’s hell

Perhaps Western ‘statesmen’ may moderate their policies if a significant percentage of voters punish them at the ballot box.