Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Friday said that the foreign policy of Prime Minister Imran Khan is quite similar to that of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
“Imran Khan’s foreign policy is quite nationalistic,” she said while talking to a private news channel. She added that she joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) because of Imran Khan’s nationalistic perspective on foreign policy.
Mazari said that she had always encouraged dialogue with the Afghan Taliban because of which many US publishers started calling her ‘Lady Taliban’.
She said that even Benazir Bhutto didn’t follow through with her father’s vision. “And when Zardari came, he brought his own set of new policies,” she claimed.
“When you come into power, the establishment is a part of it,” said Mazari. “I don’t consider myself to be either pro or anti-establishment. Many people know that I have frequently raised the issue of enforced disappearances and we have even drafted a law over it. The stakeholders are currently discussing it and consultations are ongoing.”
When you are not in the government, then it is very easy to say certain things publicly, she shared. “But being in government means that you have to make sure that everyone works together and move forward,” the federal minister remarked.
“The government and all its institutions are on the same page,” she said, but added that conspiracies are being planned against the government. “This is happening because the top leaders of the opposition are scared of being held accountable,” she said.
On rights of women, she said that most men say that they have left a seat deliberately for a woman. “We don’t want this, what we want is our rights,” she added.
Reacting to her statements, PPP leader Sherry Rehman said that the government should talk about unity in these times rather than criticising other parties. “At least, the PPP still has an ideology, what does your party have? PTI is a sinking ship with no ideology.”
