HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said democratic forces would have to “snatch” their space and that recent gains made due to the opposition’s unity proved that democratic forces could not only snatch their ‘space’ but get success.

He was speaking to journalists after attending the concluding ceremony of the three-day Livestock Expo 2021 at Hatri bypass ground on Monday evening.

He said he personally felt that the opposition’s resignations should be used like an ‘atom bomb’ or a ‘last option’ because cards played by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) within parliament had paid off.

The PPP chief said the PDM had decided to collect resignations of its parliamentarians and the same had reached the leadership.

He said PDM should focus on the card of no-confidence motion and options within parliament. “Any decision on resignations from assemblies would be made with consensus by the PDM.”

“PDM’s struggle has entered the final phase as the government’s majority in the upper and lower houses of parliament has been exposed. Even in Punjab its majority is at stake,” he said.

Repeats the opposition alliance should use resignation option like an ‘atom bomb’

“Therefore, the PDM should take its political decisions with utmost seriousness to harm the government politically and achieve its target of supremacy of parliament and Constitution. I will present my proposals in Tuesday’s meeting of the PDM,” he said. “We achieved success within parliament and the kind of tough time given to the government by us is also seen within parliament.”

Establishment’s neutrality

When asked to comment on former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s claim about the establishment’s neutrality, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said: “It’s not too much to hope for the neutrality of the establishment as dunya umeed per qayam hey.”

He said that the PDM wanted that all institutions work within their boundaries and should not interfere in anyone’s area. “Let politicians, parliament and people take decisions of their future.”

“We understand ‘neutrality’ and this goal can’t be achieved in one day, one jalsa or one speech. We need to struggle continuously. Democratic forces would have to snatch their space,” he said, adding: “In the last several years the role of the establishment and interference have widely been criticised.”

“Despite their [establishment’s] interference people have won elections in the Senate to prove that the democratic forces can snatch their space and with unity. [But] it’s a long struggle,” he observed.

He said the PDM got an open and shut case on rejection of votes of Mr Gilani during the election for the slot of Senate chairman.

He said rigging in the election was before everyone. “Seven clear votes were rejected by the presiding officer to make Sadiq Sanjrani a short-term Senate chairman,” he said.

“We will move the high court against rejection of votes,” he said, adding that it’s an established precedent and there were decisions of the apex court in 2007 and 2004 that declared such votes valid on the ground of the voter’s intent.

He said that the presiding officer of the Senate election had given a biased decision. “We have full hopes that the judiciary will deliver a just verdict.”

‘Expo to lead investment in livestock sector’

Talking about the livestock expo, he said it would lead to investment in the livestock sector.

He praised the efforts of Sindh Livestock Minister Abdul Bari Pitafi and his team for organizing the event to give boost to the livestock and agriculture sector.

About removal of encroachments from irrigation channels, he said the Sindh government’s position before courts was that people should not be displaced and they should be provided alternative accommodations and compensation.

He said that people wanted the Sindh government to come up with legislation in this regard to protect people’s rights.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Banigala residence got protection from the Supreme Court but the poor were told to dismantle their huts.

Earlier, addressing a ceremony of 100,000 sapling plantation, he said the Sindh government had already achieved the “landmark” 1.7 billion plantation of mangroves and made a Guinness world record.

He said that the Sindh government’s initiative would help respond to climate change through urban forests.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said forests were necessary for the Indus delta and coastal areas to address climate change.

He said it helped defend the coast and gave carbon credits. He said 1.7bn plantation of mangrove would give carbon credit to Pakistan, which would hopefully be spent for uplift of coastal communities.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2021