KARACHI: Firing a broadside at PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari alleged that the former prime minister “wanted every institution to turn into his tiger force”.
Addressing a crowd upon his arrival in Karachi for the first time since joining Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet, the PPP chairman congratulated his supporters — referred to as jiyalas — for their victory in removing the PTI government from power.
“Democracy has won, all four provinces have won. We have sent the selected, puppet and incompetent prime minister home,” said Bilawal.
The PPP chairman, who is the foreign minister in Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet, said that his jiyalas are “always successful” when they come out for the protection of the Constitution and take on the dictator of the time. He added that his supporters started their movement when Khan came to power.
“We were standing against this undemocratic person since day one. We looked into his eyes and said you were not elected but selected. We faced injustice but did not sell our principles,” said Bilawal.
The PPP chairman went on to say that when he began his long march, he asked Khan to dissolve the assembly but he was under the influence of power and did not listen to the then Opposition.
Bilawal said that the then Opposition submitted the no-confidence motion against Khan when his caravan reached Islamabad.
“We used democratic means to send an undemocratic person home,” said Bilawal said and added that the PTI chairman’s government was removed as part of the democratic process compared to what he claimed was a foreign conspiracy.
The foreign minister said that Khan’s removal from power was not a foreign conspiracy but a win for political workers, adding that Khan’s ouster was a victory of the Parliament, the Constitution, and democracy.
Bilawal said that members of the current government “forgot” their “political differences” and formed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). He said that the PPP convinced the allied parties not to leave the Parliament and send Khan home via the no-confidence motion.
Continuing his tirade against Khan, Bilawal said that the former government stole people’s jobs and instead of ending corruption, it broke all records of corruption.
“Imran wanted every institution to turn into his tiger force. Imran wanted the establishment to turn into a tiger force and support him,” claimed Bilawal, adding that the PTI chairman caused harm to the country as he was leaving.
“The coward would not even come and stand in the Parliament. Khan attacked the Constitution while running away from the no-confidence motion,” said Bilawal, adding that the PTI chairman was running a
“why was I not saved movement”.
“What kind of a prime minister was he, as he ruined the economy during his tenure. He emptied the treasury and left an economic crisis to torture people,” said Bilawal.
The foreign minister also said that the former premier “isolated the country for the sake of his ego” and harmed Pakistan’s foreign policy.
Bilawal said that Khan’s foreign policy was confusing, and if he had any policy, it was “kashkol” (begging bowl). Khan kept sending missed calls to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US during his rule. When there was no response from there, he vented his anger about the foreign policy of the country.
“Khan says that the White House conspired against him, while I tell him that it was not the White House but the Bilawal House that conspired against him, said Bilawal, adding that, “Imran Khan also talks a lot about his visit to Russia, but everyone knows that he talks a lot but doesn’t do anything.”
The PPP chairman said that even after the no-confidence motion was tabled, the former prime minister had threatened his party that there would be one of the immediate elections or martial law.
Bilawal said that Khan was still trying to create conditions in the country for the benefit of others and further said that a parliamentary commission would be formed on the issue of the violation of the Constitution by Khan and his associates, but the entire PTI including Khan, should apologise for the incident that took place in Masjid-e-Nabwi.
Addressing the employees of the Pakistan Steel Mills, Bilawal said that the Ministry of Privatisation is with the PPP, therefore, a new plan can be worked out for the rehabilitation of PSM. “If a project like Thar Coal can be used to supply electricity to the whole of Pakistan through a public-private partnership, then steel mills can also be run.”
The PPP chairman said that Khan snatched the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) card from the hands of poor women but we would also find a solution for the affectees.
“We have taken over the ministries of water and climate change because we have better programmes for these sectors,” he said.
