HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peo­ples Party (PPP) information secretary Senator Maula Bux Chandio has urged the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government to avoid the path of confrontation as it would stall the country’s progress. He also advised it to desist from humiliating and insulting PPP leadership and not to waste the offer of political reconciliation made by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari by implicating him in “false case”.

Mr Chandio was speaking to the media at the local press club on Thursday.

He accused the federal government of “polluting” the political environment in the country. “Those who believe in political norms never resort to taking vindictive actions,” he said, adding that [Prime Minister] Imran Khan was unlucky as he did not respond to Mr Bhutto-Zardari’s political and positive overture of support for the government.

“The PPP chairman didn’t use such statement for any political opponent; and, likewise, [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader] Shahbaz Sharif also offered his party’s unconditional support but this government didn’t respond with a positive spirit,” he noted. Instead, he added, federal ministers were resorting to badmouthing.

‘PPP workers ready to respond positively to court arrest call’

Senator Chandio accused PTI of making institutions controversial. He said PPP did not oppose accountability, rather it did not accept vindictive actions. He claimed that the PPP chairman had been implicated in a false case and the PTI government adopted path of confrontation. “If Mr Bhutto-Zardari has hinted at launching a court arrest movement, it is not an ordinary statement ... it’s outcome of the government’s policies,” he said, and confidently stated that PPP workers were quite enthusiastic to become part of such agitation and were preparing for it in response to their party chairman’s call.

“PPP does have the experience of strong politics of opposition,” he remarked and told the government that it was sadly mistaken if it thought that the party leadership could be intimidated.

“Conduct of NAB (National Accountability Bureau) is not impartial at all ... if it’s resorting to vindictive actions, then the consequences will be disastrous as things will not stop here,” he warned.

The senior PPP leader complained that while the prime minister was offering concessions to his sister, it was not the case with his opponents.

He said that the treatment being meted out to [Sindh Assembly Speaker] Agha Siraj Durrani was not acceptable.

He pointed out that the PPP chairman was talking about role of institutions and avoiding confrontation. “We will keep discussing conduct of federal ministers,” he said.

Senator Chandio was of the view that Nawaz Sharif deserved better health facilities in view of his health condition. “His life is at risk,” he cautioned. He also made it clear that PPP leadership did not want any NRO (National Reconci­lia­tion Ordinance) but was seeking peace in the country.

“Pakistan’s stability is linked with political stability in the country, therefore, this path be adopted,” he said, and asked PTI to refrain from provoking PPP.

Condemning the government’s plan to privatise national entities, he reminded it that “these organisations are our national identity”. He also criticised shifting of NAB’s fake accounts and money laundering references to Rawalpindi, questioning “what kind of message the PTI government is giving by doing so?”

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2019