THATTA: Pakistan Peo­ples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thur­s­day that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s rendezvous with Chief Justice of Pakistan was a last-ditch attempt to save Mian Nawaz Sharif but the former premier would not be able to escape punishment this time.

He believed the CJP would uphold rule of law as he was a man of principles though the prime minister had obviously tried to influence judiciary.

Bilawal was talking to journalists after inaugurating Rs8.8 billion Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway at a special ceremony in Ghaghar Phatak area, 45 kilometres from here.

He said that prime minister was a reasonable person and he should not have made such an irresponsible statement about the chairman of Senate.

He should take his remarks back, otherwise, it would cast negative impact on institutions.

Remarking about Mr Sharif’s nature he said: “When he (Mr Sharif) is caught up in a difficult situation he will fall at your feet to seek your help but when he comes to power he will catch you by the collar,” he observed, adding that it had been Mr Sharif’s policy all along but this time round “we are not going to save him”.

About possible rollback of 18th Amendment and delay in general election, he said that Inter Services Public Relations had issued a clear statement in this regard. “There is no threat to democracy and election will be held on time,” he hoped.

He said earlier at the inauguration ceremony that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah deserved praise for constructing Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway within a short period.

“Sindh government serves people but doesn’t engage in showbazi,” he said, adding that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif spent millions of rupees on his personal publicity but Sindh government avoided squandering public money on self-promotion.

He said that PPP would win general election on the basis of its public service projects and political maturity. “Insha Allah we will return victorious,” he said.

He said the Sindh government had helped 600,000 families graduate out of poverty through Benazir Income Support Programme and NICVD, its satellite centres and JPMC cancer unit were serving the masses free of cost.

Bilawal said that people knew well that it was PPP which could fight against terrorists and crush them.

It was PPP which knew how to formulate an effective foreign policy, stabilise economy and strengthen institutions, he said.

Earlier, Bilawal who was accompanied by Sindh chief minister, provincial ministers Nasir Shah and Imdad Pitafi and party leaders, unveiled plaque to formally inaugurate the project amid slogans of ‘Jeay Bhutto’.

He then took a drive on the newly built road. The chief minister drove his vehicle.

The Sindh government launched the dual carriageway project under public private partnership and awarded its contract to the highest bidder, the Frontier Works Organisation, which started the construction work on May 2, 2016.

The 49.5km-long road, from Ghaghar Phatak to Makli bypass Thatta, has been completed at a cost of Rs8.85bn within 20 months. It will be maintained by FWO for 25 years on the basis of DBFOT (design, build, finance, operate and maintain).

The road, which reduces commuting time by 50 minutes, has become highly important due to its connection with Thar coal mines.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2018