CHARSADDA: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has ruled out his party’s return to the Pakistan Dem­ocratic Movement (PDM), saying the multiparty opposition alliance has deviated from its objectives.

Addressing a press conference at Walibagh here on Sunday, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar could easily be removed through in-house changes but unfortunately some components of the PDM had opposed the PPP stance.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari, along with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and other senior leaders of the party, visited Walibagh to offer Fateha for the departed soul of veteran politician Begum Naseem Wali Khan. On the occasion, senior vice president of the Awami National Party (ANP) Amir Haidar Hoti, general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Ghulam Ahmad Bilour were also present.

The PPP leader blamed the main component parties for split in the PDM and said the matter of changing the PDM head after every six months had been ignored. He said the ANP and PPP with other likeminded parties would run a movement against the sitting government.

He said there was an ideological understanding between the PPP and ANP as his grandfather Hakim Ali Zardari was among the founding members of the ANP. He said they would continue struggle against the “selected government” in and outside parliament.

Replying to a question, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the government was giving military bases to the United States in the context of changing scenario in Afghanistan. He cautioned that repercussions of giving bases to the US would be very dangerous.

He said Pakistan could suffer because of the current situation in Afghanistan and urged all stakeholders to hold consultations against the backdrop of the emerging situation in the war-torn country.

He said it was the PPP government which deterred the US when Nato forces attacked the Salala check-post on the Pak-Afghan border and forced Washington to seek a formal apology in this regard. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had surrendered to the “agenda of his foreign masters”.

In reply to a question, the PPP leader termed the government’s claims of turnaround in the economy a pack of lies.

He paid rich tribute to the late Begum Naseem Wali and said she had rendered sacrifices for the sake of democracy in the country.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2021