HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday dismissed prime minister’s latest announcement of relief measures, reducing fuel prices and electricity tariff, as a political stunt and said such dramas could not help revive national economy.

He was speaking to big crowds in Moro, Hallani, Khairpur and Sukkur, where the long march made stopovers after having traversed Qazi Ahmed, Matiari and Hyderabad late on Monday night.

Accompanied by Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, PPP Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and others senior leaders, Bilawal said that number of unemployed youths having multiple degrees was increasing with each passing day.

The ‘roti, kapra aur makan’ which Z.A. Bhutto government had ensured for people and his daughter Benazir Bhutto continued, had been snatched by Imran Khan, he said as he raised the slogan “Cheen raha hey kaptan, roti kapra aur makan”.

He said that masses had now witnessed the real face of tabdeeli and ‘naya Pakistan’ where unemployment, poverty and price-hike ruled the roost. Despite multiple crises of sugar, flour and fuel the prime minister was still advising people Ghabrana nahi hay, he said mimicking the prime minister’s famous refrain.

He said that only one day of long march had forced Imran Khan to relent and announce relief measures reducing fuel by Rs10 a litre and electricity tariff by Rs5 per unit. “Does the PM take people for fools and think that we don’t understand his drama?” he said.

He said that a few days back the fuel prices were raised by Rs12 a litre and now the price had been cut by Rs10 a litre. Likewise, electricity tariff was hiked by Rs6 per unit a few days back and was slashed by Rs5 after the march began, he said.

He said the (PTI’s) puppet show would no longer work, wondering how many much cheaper the fuel and the electricity would get by the time the march reached Islamabad via GT road.

He said that economy never worked through “such dramas” while PPP had proved that Pakistan could prosper only after prosperity came to farmer. Rice, sugar and wheat were being imported when PPP took over reins of the country in 2008 and within just one year in rule the country was able to start exporting the commodities and peasants became prosperous, he said.

PTI had committed robbery over agriculture sector and for the first time peasants had to buy fertiliser on the blackmarket and purchase costlier farm inputs. The prime minister did not think about masses because he had been thrust over them and he cared only about his chair, he said.

He said that the prime minister imposed curbs on media, attacked judiciary and imprisoned opponents because “this coward” lacked courage to face criticism.

Bilawal mocked the prime minister for sharing ‘his ordeal’ at the hands of media in his Monday’s live address to nation, saying media was unjust to him. “Have you ever seen such a coward head of state? The PM literally started weeping on TV and telling what some newspaper wrote against the first lady,” he said.

He said that media was asked to do ‘positive reporting’ about PTI. In fact media was not allowed to write or speak against this government. “Our views were censored whenever we discussed PTI’s policies. Asif Zardari’s interview was not even allowed to be aired. Such was control of media and still you are claiming you [PM] are facing unnecessary criticism,” he said.

He said that PPP always believed in freedom of expression and media. “You are king of liars and propaganda prime minister. Your entire political career is based on lies,” he said.

“Aray janab, you don’t have any idea what propaganda feels like. People know what the same television channels and newspapers did with PPP government when Imran Khan used to indulge in character assassination of Bhuttos,” he said.

Today, he said, masses had come to know that Imran was a liar all along while Bhuttos and Asif Zardari were upright. If Imran was not a coward he should dissolve assemblies, resign and face PPP in polls, he said, adding that time had come for parliament to voice no confidence in him and let people see who was siding with the puppet.

Addressing people in Qazi Ahmed last night, Bilawal urged members of parliament including allies and members of PTI to revolt against their PM and vote for no confidence motion.

He said the prime minister was having cold feet while the march neared Nawabshah and urged members of the parliament “you [treasury members] should revolt against your PM and join opposition benches so that fresh elections can be held”. A new government would be formed in the wake of successful no-trust motion, he said.

SUKKUR: In Moro, Bilawal said: “All people are facing difficult time, labourers work very hard but they do not get appropriate remuneration to feed their families and farmers and their dependents have to go to bed without having even a morsel to eat because they do not get proper return on their harvest”.

“The easiest way to improve the country’s economy is to make growers and farmers prosperous,” he said, adding “time has come to rid the country of this selected government”.

He said: “We have come out on roads to take back our democratic rights and our stolen votes. You have stolen votes in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit.”

He said that people had right over whatever was on the soil and under the soil. “We demand ownership of natural resources because this soil belongs to people,” he said.

He vowed to safeguard provincial rights guaranteed in the constitution and said “we believe in equality. There must be one law for the poor and the rich”.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022