KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Saturday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) are two sides of the same coin.
Addressing a rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah ground, the PPP leader alleged that PTI members fired shots and injured PPP workers during a clash at Hakeem Saeed ground in Karachi a few days ago.
“We chose Hakeem Saeed ground to pay tribute to our martyrs. On May 12, 2007, Musharraf’s cronies martyred our workers,” he said. “The people of Karachi will never accept a new MQM-P under the name of PTI. This is our city and we can do our gathering anywhere in the metropolis,” he added.
Bilawal said that on May 12, the dictator of the time was laughing while the people of Karachi were picking up bodies.
“PPP workers were attacked in Karachi on May 12. Awami National Party (ANP) activists and lawyers of the city were killed. The people of Karachi were praying for their lives,” he said, adding that they were praying for safety from a political party’s militant wing.
The PPP leader blamed the MQM-P leader and Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar to be the man behind May 12’s violence. “The man who is now Mayor Karachi was Home Minister at that time, he is the one responsible behind the carnage on that day,” he said.
Taking further jibes at MQM-P, the PPP leader said that soon after the party’s Liaquatabad rally all of MQM-P’s factions became united.
“Had I known MQM-P would unite, I would have held the rally way before,” he said.
Bilawal said that the PPP served the metropolis at the best of his abilities but MQM is continuously disrupting the developmental works due to their political interests.
“Why K-4 projects were not initiated during the Musharraf’s tenure when MQM had complete hold of the city,” he said.
Bilawal said that even MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar has alleged that the Karachi mayor is involved in financial embezzlement.
PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Karachi Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Taj Haider, Qaim Ali Shah are also present at the venue along with the party chairman.
Excited workers started gathering at the venue last night. CM Murad also visited Bagh-e-Jinnah last night to oversee preparations ahead of the rally.
