Bilawal Bhutto tears up PDM’s show-cause notice

Karachi: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tore apart the show-cause notice issued by PDM secretary-general Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during a meeting of PPP’s Central Executive Committee party.

Bilawal, during the CEC meeting at Bilawal House, Karachi, read out the show-cause notice served to PPP by PDM’s secretary-general Shahid Khaqan Abbasi — and after that, he tore it, sources told Geo News.

Following Bilawal’s move, the party leaders present during the meeting lauded his action and started clapping, sources said.

Addressing the CEC meeting, Bilawal said he had come into politics for respect, and nothing was greater than respect.

The meeting, which has 50 PPP leaders in attendance, is discussing the current political situation and the relations between the Opposition parties and the overall anti-government strategy of the party. Former president Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal are presiding over the meeting.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the Senate Yousuf Raza Gillani offered the party his resignation as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, sources said. “We have given our lives and rendered many sacrifices for the cause of democracy,” the sources quoted him as saying.

“Allegations which are unfounded cannot be levelled against PPP,” Gillani was said by sources to have added.

His proposal was unanimously rejected by the CEC, as well as PPP President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

The PPP had earlier delayed the April 5 CEC meeting that was called to decide on resignations from assemblies citing a Senate session summoned by the president on the date. While all major parties showed their willingness for the move, the PPP had sought time to deliberate on the matter.