PDM has set goals: Bilawal Bhutto

Lahore: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Wednesday said that Pakistan Democratic Movement has short term and long term goals. The short term goal is to send this selected and puppet government packing which has added to people’s woes and the long term goal is to strengthen democracy.

Addressing a press conference , Chairman Bilawal said that all the parties in PDM are jointly giving this incapable government a tough time. The responsibility of the opposition is to fight for the rights of the people. Now we have exposed this selected and incapable government not only before the people of Pakistan but also before the entire world. This government tried to carryout massive rigging in bye-election in Daska but was exposed.

Chairman PPP thanked PML-N and JUI leadership for accepting PPP candidate Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani as the candidate of PDM for the Senate seat from Islamabad. We all jointly worked for the supremacy of the parliament and succeeded and now the government has also started talking to their own members who they were ignoring for the last 30 months. We know that we are fighting this battle with less numbers of members but we are fighting this battle of democracy. We are giving a tough time to the government and will continue to do so. After the election of Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani the chapter of the restoration of democracy will begin. We are thankful to all parties of the opposition and all the members for supporting PDM’s joint candidate for the Senate elections being held on 3 March. The march will also begin by the end of the month of March. It is time to say that just one more push is needed for the wall to fall, he said.

Responding to questions by the journalists Chairman Bilawal said that all the parties in PDM are united and will remain united after the Senate elections. We are not in no-confidence phase yet and we are in Senate elections phase. We are contesting Senate elections on the principles of democracy. Yousuf Raza Gillani has been a prime minister and he used to deal with treasury and opposition benches equally. He used to respect every parliamentarian. It proves that we solve issues in the parliament. Now members have a democratic option in Yousuf Raza Gillani or they have a technocrat. We have always respected parliament and want to change this government through democratic means. We have to proceed forward through the democratic path and help the country emerge from the crises.

Responding a question about establishment, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PPP is trying for the last three generations for every institution to work within their domain according to the constitution. He said that if the establishment is neutral then we should welcome this. Replying to a question he said that we want to implement every clause of the Charter of Democracy but do not want any clause of CoD to be implemented by illegal or unconstitutional means. This government did not make any effort to amend the constitution instead wants to use institutions’ shoulders. If the Election Commission of Pakistan and the higher courts will take decisions according to constitution then that will be the implementation of CoD.

Chairman PPP said that a group of journalists were forcing us not to take part in bye-elections and for us to resign; I have made it clear that they should not try to teach us politics because we do not teach them journalism. Our stance is that we will confront this government in the political field according to constitution. Pakistan is in an economic mess and facing historical and unprecedented poverty and price-hike. This is the issue of the common man and can only be solved through a free parliament. Every Pakistani is bearing the burden of the incapable government. This government does not believe in democracy and wants an open ballot just for their interests. Why had they not objected the secret ballot in the election of Senate chairman, Bilawal asked.

Earlier, a meeting of members of national and Punjab assemblies was held chaired by the Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The meeting was held at the residence of president PPP south Punjab, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood. The meeting discussed upcoming Senate elections and movement against government. This meeting was attended by Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Makhdoom Usman Mehmood, Ali Haider Gillani, Raees Nabeel, Ghazanfar Langah, Syed Mustafa Mehmood, Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Mehar Irshad Ahmed Sial, Malik Raza Rabbani Khar, Natasha Dolatana, Nawabzada Iftikar, Naveed Amir Jeewa, Hina Rabbani Khar, Mumtaz Chang, Shazia Abid, Azizur Rehman Chan and others.