KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday came out with a stance of defiance over a notice he had received from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), second time in a month, in a case relating to the fake bank accounts and alleged money laundering when he announced plans not to appear before the anti-graft body on Tuesday (today), calling it “part of a conspiracy” being hatched by the government to sabotage the party’s Dec 27 rally in Rawalpindi to mark the 12th death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

With an aggressive tone and strong criticism of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government, the PPP chairman at a press conference at Bilawal House sounded convinced that the fresh notice from NAB was in fact a pressure tactic from the “selected government” to suppress his voice for true democracy and transparent accountability process. He refused to accept NAB as an institution and called it the product of a “black law” which was envisaged by the dictator. But, he added, he used to appear before the anti-graft body on different notices only to respect the rule of law.

PPP chairman says he will be more dangerous for govt if it arrests him

“No,” Mr Bhutto-Zardari responded with a brief gesture when asked about his decision on call-up notice by NAB and chose to reply in detail the other question that was about the kind of pressure from the powerful circle on his party which led to such notices from the anti-graft body.

“There is not only one thing which brings pressure. There are several issues which led such pressures from the government. Among the key one is my political activity where I raise voice for the people of Pakistan, question the credibility of the puppet and selected government and show the government ministers mirror when they talk about the rule of law and accountability. They are foreseeing that our Dec 27 rally in Rawalpindi would be a success story and here they are out to sabotage this programme.”

He said the notice from NAB was unconstitutional and illegal after the chief justice of Pakistan had already declared him innocent in the same case. The government was in fact, he said, creating obstacles in the way of PPP’s plans to observe Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary on Dec 27.

Hours after the arrest of senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, the PPP chairman ruled out possibility of his arrest and even challenged NAB, saying: “Let them do [arrest him] if they have the guts.”

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said that the government had not yet given permission to hold a rally in Rawalpindi on Dec 27. He accused the government of stopping PPP workers from making transportation arrangements in connection with the event.

“But let this be loud and clear for everyone. We would reach Liaquat Bagh [Rawalpindi] on Dec 27 at any cost,” he said. “The government is deliberately targeting opposition parties. Any leader or member of the opposition, who raises voice and challenges the puppet government, faces fake cases and charges. But I want to tell them that we are not scared of any arrest. I will be more dangerous for them if they arrest me.”

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2019