LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had launched a sustained attack on the media after assuming power.
The PPP chairman, while addressing a press conference here, said he would give voice to suppressed journalists and look out for their interests.
Bilawal said that a rise in censorship not only affects an average political worker, but also the journalist fraternity.
“This [censorship] isn’t only for journalists — it is also for cameramen, producers, media house owners […] This suppression is also against bloggers, and those youngsters who post on Twitter,” he continued.
The PPP chairman said that the ‘politics of vengeance’ seems to be touching a peak in Pakistan.
“We will not accept any ‘Naya Pakistan’ where there is no freedom of speech,” he said.
“Today, attacks on democracy are being launched from all sides […] nobody accepts the fact that Nawaz Sharif went to (a) jail or abroad due to corruption while our leaders are in jail due to political revenge,” he said.
“Even a political opponent’s late brother was not spared,” Bilawal added while referring to former PPP minister Khursheed Shah’s brother.
Bilawal further criticised the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the “economic crisis”, claiming that the economic affairs of the country were being driven through a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He maintained that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the state’s economy could not function parallel to each other. “After traders’ [claim], Imran Khan also admitted that NAB and economy couldn’t run together […] democratic forces are disunited for some reason.”
“It isn’t such that individuals who are not paying taxes are looters […] our taxation system is faulty.”
About the upcoming budget, the PPP’s chairman commented that the “PTI and IMF’s budget will economically kill the under-privileged.”
“The people of this country have recognised these (ruling) people […] salaries and pensions are not being released let alone the increments in salaries,” he added.
Responding to a question about Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed, the PPP’s chairman said, “leave sewer’s talk in sewer […] Sheikh Rasheed gets elected in a selected government, he will remain a selected minister.”
“Surprisingly, Sheikh Rasheed is still a federal minister […] during the previous government, Imran Khan demanded [former] railways minister’s resignation.”
He added that it would be last turn of a “selected government” and “all of you will enjoy a lot to see what’s going to happen with (all of these) selected (people).
