No dialogue with govt: Bilawal Bhutto

Thatta: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that any option of dialogue at national level is only possible when the current “anti-people” Prime Minister steps down adding that Imran Khan wants only to save his seat.

PPP Chairman expressed these views while addressing a press conference in Thatta after offering condolences to the family of the late Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi, former advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister. Murad Ali Shah Chief Minister, Sindh, Provincial Ministers Nasir Hussain Shah, Suhail Anwar Sial and other PPP leaders and legislators were also present on the occasion.

He said that the only platform for the national dialogue would be the Parliament, but before that the anti-people Prime Minister would have to resign, so that political solutions could be found.

Criticizing the Federal government, he said that every section of the country, including farmers, laborers, small traders, students and doctors, were fed up with the present government, which was unable to send their children to school or provide them with medicines. People have to bear the brunt of the inflation and unemployment situation only because of the Prime Minister.

He said that the Prime Minister should go who could not increase the salaries and pensions of the people and reduce the inflation even in electricity and gas bills. The people should have the opportunity to choose someone who can solve their problems because Imran Khan has dragged the country’s economy into shambles as our growth rate has fallen negative and below than Bangladesh and Afghanistan’s, he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PTI government has announced more concessions for the construction and other mafias and there are bailout packages worth billions of rupees for the rich, but it is not ready to do anything for the poor.

The PPP Chairman strongly condemned the brutal killing of coal miners in Balochistan and demanded that the government ensure the safety of the workers and start implementing the National Action Plan, which the present government has completely forgotten. “Ever since the current government came to power, we have seen big terrorists fleeing from custody,” he said. Such tragic incidents would not have happened if the Prime Minister and Interior Minister had fulfilled their responsibilities instead of making noise against the PDM, he added.

In response to a question, he said that PDM is united. The PPP’s Central Executive Committee has ratified all the decisions of the opposition coalition adding that the victory of the PPP is the victory of the PDM, and the victory of the PDM is the pride of the people. Whether by-elections or other matters, all decisions will be made by consensus. We will remove the current puppet regime and hybrid system from power. This puppet regime can only target measures like the 18th Amendment, the NFC, and Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), he stated.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the role of PPP has been at the forefront in the struggle against the occupation of the islands, which has also raised the issue from the platform of PDM. He pointed out that despite Sindh and Balochistan producing the most gas, they were not getting their fair share in supply.