LARKANA: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday said that his party would play a strong and effective role of opposition in the elected houses and continue to draw the attention of federal government to people’s issues.

He was speaking to party workers, including those who acted as its polling agents in the July 25 general elections in his NA-200 constituency, at Naudero House.

“Installation of a puppet government at the Centre is a conspiracy,” he told the audience, adding that the PPP, taking along all other opposition parties, would continue to fight for peoples’ rights.

He warned that his party would not tolerate “politics of censorship” and anti-democratic approach [of the ruling party].

He expressed the view that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government were not likely to go for [executed prime minister] Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s philosophy-based policies.

“I stand by my democracy-based politics ... all [state] institutions should serve the masses ... it’s not enough to have a government formed in the name of democracy ... we have to make all institutions answerable,” Bilawal said.

‘PPP will not tolerate policy of censorship’

He exhorted the party workers to continue their struggle for democracy in line with the 1973 Constitution and Z.A. Bhutto’s vision vis-a-vis a democratic structure.

The PPP chairman also vowed to protect the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) at all costs and get Sindh’s rights on its resources from the Centre.

He asked party workers to become his strength in his fight against challenges and efforts to foil opponents’ conspiracies.

“Even today, a conspiracy is hatched against the federation, PPP and Bhutto’s 1973 Constitution, therefore, we all [provinces] will have to fight for our [respective] resources and rights,” he said.

Bilawal said that no power in the world could stop PPP from participating in politics in accordance with the principles laid down by its founder chairman Z.A. Bhutto.

‘Elections were rigged’

He said many forces were active in the July 25 elections where disturbances were intentionally caused at women polling stations. But despite the disturbances and blasts, PPP workers voted him to victory, he noted.

Expressing his deep concern over federal government’s stated policy of privatisation of national institutions, the PPP chairman said that it would drive people to devastation.

“We won’t allow them to succeed in their designs. What could one expect from the prime minister who in his first speech rendered 500 families jobless?” he questioned.

“I assure you that [in Sindh] every single opportunity will be created for employment while making best use of all resources of the province,” he said.

Bilawal said that there were plenty of issues and problems in Sindh but the PPP would keep representing the masses despite all challenges.

He said the day was not far when PPP would form its government at the Centre and be remembered in history with unprecedented pro-people policies.

He said he needed party workers’ active support matching that which had been witnessed for his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and mother Benazir Bhutto.

Sindh PPP president Nisar Khuhro, MPA Sohail Anwar Siyal, Abdul Fatah and other senior party leaders were present at the gathering.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2018