ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari told the allies and facilitators of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government that his party would not allow anyone to use unconstitutional means to defuse the no-trust move against Prime Minister Imran Khan in parliament.

“I warn all allies, facilitators and supporters of the PTI government not to interfere in politics to save the ‘puppet’ prime minister. It is the last chance for you… to show that you stand with the people of the country,” he stated while addressing the participants of the 10-day long Awami March, which culminated near D-Chowk, in front of Parliament House on Tuesday night.

He said the PPP launched its long march to save the country and complete the mission of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto - to give basic rights to the people and to give all provinces the ownership of their resources.

He said the no-trust motion was a democratic weapon of PPP workers and they would use it to send the ‘selected’ (PM Imran Khan) home. He said Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore and all the people of country decided to get rid of the ‘selected’ prime minister.

10-day Awami March culminates in front of parliament

He said the PPP did not believe in undemocratic means to topple a government. But, he added, the party wanted to oust the prime minister through the no-trust motion in parliament and street protests. “We made a democratic attack on the government in the limits of constitution means,” he said.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari accused the PTI government of hatching a conspiracy against the 1973 constitution and 18th Amendment in the Constitution. But, he added, the PPP would not accept it. He said the PPP had made many sacrifices for democracy.

“The puppet prime minister has made anti-people policies. Due to bad economic policies and the PTI-IMF deal, the country suffered a lot. You (Imran Khan) gave amnesty schemes to the rich and made the lives of the poor miserable,” he said.

Talking about the foreign policy, he said former president Asif Ali Zardari finalised deals for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project, adding that the European Union gave the status of most favourite nation to Pakistan because of the former president’s efforts.

He said because of the wrong policies of the PTI government Pakistan now stands isolated in the world. He said the Kashmir issue was badly handled by the PTI government.

He said that the PPP would not accept amnesty for terrorists. “PTI government was trying to give amnesty to terrorist without the permission of parliament and the people,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2022