Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday revealed that he was “shocked” by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s statements during the Gujranwala rally of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) last month.
The above was said during an interview with BBC Urdu, wherein Bilawal discussed the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) elections, the 11-party anti-government alliance, and more.
During the first PDM rally, which Nawaz had attended via video-link, the PML-N chief had asked who made a “state above a state” and went on to name Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Bilawal told BBC Urdu that the decision to name the military leadership was solely Nawaz’s and that he was blindsided by this.
“It was a shock for me because, typically, we don’t talk like this at rallies. But Nawaz heads his own party and I can’t control what he says, just like he can’t control what I say,” Bilawal said.
Bilawal also said that he refrains from making such comments at his own rallies, but that Nawaz does have the right to take this sort of stand if he wants to do so. He further added that Nawaz, having served as the prime minister, would not have taken these names without good reason.
“As far as taking the names of the COAS and the ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence] chief is concerned, I think — and I am certain — that Nawaz will not have done so without any evidence. Such allegations should come forward on the basis of evidence,” the PPP chief said, adding that he could not meet Nawaz because of Covid-19, so could not “discuss the matter in detail.”
Bilawal appeared to disagree with Nawaz’s statements, as during the interview, he said, “No one person can be held responsible for bringing Imran Khan to power.”
Bilawal also revealed that during the All Parties Conference (APC) “it was decided that a single institution would not be named, the establishment would.”
However, Bilawal said, he will “wait for Nawaz to bring forward evidence supporting his claims”.
In response to Bilawal’s statements, PML-N spokesperson Mohammad Zubair said that the PPP has not had the same experiences that the PML-N has had.
During the same interview, Bilawal held the incumbent government liable for the current inflation and shortage of essential food items in the country.
“The country is going through a difficult period,” he said, adding “even a weakened democracy is much better than dictatorship”.
The PPP chief, who is currently in GB to drum up support for the upcoming elections, said that Prime Minister Imran Khan cannot be trusted.
“Imran Khan breaks all his promises. He promised to make South Punjab a separate province within the first 100 days of his government,” the PPP leader said. “But he didn’t.”
‘BILAWAL’S STATEMENT HIS PERSONAL OPINION’:
PML-N on Friday termed Bilawal’s remarks regarding the speech of former premier Nawaz during the PDM Gujranwala rally as his personal point of view.
While reacting to Bilawal’s remarks, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that whatever Nawaz had said in his speech during PDM rally was based on facts. Bilawal’s statement shows his own point of view, she added.
