PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the former Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Ihsanullah Ihsan for threatening the party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a tweet, and warned if any harm was done to its chief the entire responsibility will rest with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, PPP provincial president Mohammad Humayun Khan questioned on whose agenda was the former spokesman of Taliban released from jail. He said Imran Khan called Osama Bin Laden martyred, which had put a big question mark on the country’s fight against terrorism.

He said PPP would not bow down to any pressure or threats and continue its role to create public awareness about ‘wrong’ policies of the government. He alleged that the government promulgated an ordinance to facilitate Indian terrorist Kulbhushan Jadhav despite the fact that the National Assembly was in session. He said the government had forgotten the Indian brutalities in held Kashmir and allowed Afghan exports to India through Wagah border.

Flanked by PPP’s provincial general secretary Faisal Karim Kundi, provincial secretary information Senator Rubina Khalid and deputy secretary information Gohar Khan Inqilabi, Mr Humayun also reaffirmed his party’s stance on protecting the 18th Amendment and asked the government to avoid diverting public attention from price hike and unemployment through the controversial issues. He alleged that national wealth was embezzled in the name of different schemes.

On the occasion, Mr Kundi said in case of any harm to PPP leadership FIR would be registered against the PM. He said the government had targeted opposition parties through NAB, but it was unable to hold its own ministers and PTI leaders accountable.

He said PPP welcomed the accountability process but it would not let the government victimise people in order to cover its weaknesses.

Senator Rubina Khalid said the nation was facing multiple problems. She said prices of daily use items were on the increase, but the rulers were unable to take effective steps to control the trend.

She said that PTI ministers were facing corruption charges in different mega projects, including BRT, Billion Tree Tsunami, beautification of Peshawar, but the government was unable to hold its people accountable. Gohar Inqilabi said party workers were ready to render all kinds of sacrifices for protection of their leadership.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2020