Bilawal Bhutto stresses need for burying ‘old-school politics’ to fix economy

Liaquat Ali

Lahore: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has stressed the need to bury old traditional politics, stating that if we continue with the old politics, whoever becomes the prime minister will not be able to run the country.

“Until we make this decision, there will be no difference,” Bilawal added while addressing the Lahore High Court Bar Association on Tuesday.

The former foreign minister held the view that if politicians continued with old politics, whoever became the prime minister would not be able to run the country, and as a result, the economic challenges facing the country would not be overcome.

Bilawal recalled that the PTI founder used to say he would not talk to anyone; he used to say he would commit suicide rather than holding talks with thieves. “Perhaps, at the time, accusing others of theft was wrong.”

Bilawal said that he was thankful to all the judges, including Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, for taking up the presidential reference sent 12 years ago by former president Asif Zardari seeking to revisit the trial that had led to the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB), the PPP’s founding chairman, and one of the country’s most popular prime ministers.

He hoped that justice would be served to the popular leader after so many years.

The PPP chairman said that the judges, through their decision, would not only cleanse the chequered history of the judiciary by providing justice to him, his family and party workers, but also make history by ensuring that such behavior should not occur with any prime minister.

Bilawal also expressed gratitude to the LHCBA for providing him another opportunity to address the legal fraternity.