When is questioning narratives treason, Bilawal hits at govt

–PPP chief questions logic of calling someone traitor for questioning ‘scripted narrative’

–Says he has ideology that doesn’t change, but your [govt] narrative keeps on changing

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari lashed out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party over talks of a treason case against him over his ‘anti-Pakistan’ remarks, questioning whether who refuse to live in this ‘fascist screenplay’ would be declared traitors.

“What the hell is a narrative? Is life now a fascist screenplay where if you don’t follow a script, you are declared traitor? Screw you and your narrative. I have an ideology and my ideology doesn’t change [but] your narrative keeps on changing,” Bilawal tweeted.

WTH is a narrative? Is life now a fascist screenplay where if u don’t follow a script u r declared traitor? Screw u and ur narrative, I have an ideology my ideology doesn’t changes ur narrative will keep changing. Read, think, speak & ignore fascist trolls who run this country.

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) March 22, 2019

This came after a resolution was filed by party member in the Punjab Assembly seeking a treason case against Bilawal.

PTI MPA Mussarat Jamshed Cheema in the resolution said that Bilawal’s statement about the government’s action against proscribed organisations as “protective cover” was no less than treason as it reflected the ‘Indian narrative’.

At a time when the whole world is standing by Pakistan for its narrative of peace, Indian aggression on Line of Control (LoC) and Kashmir issue, Bilawal’s statement was “no less than an Indian rocket launcher”, she added.

The PPP chairperson and PTI cabinet members have exchanged heated words over the past few weeks over a crackdown on banned outfits in the country.

After PTI announced to conduct a countrywide operation against the militants in line with the National Action Plan (NAP), Bilawal questioned its sincerity and accused three of the cabinet members, including the interior minister, for having a soft corner for the leaders of banned militant outfits.

The debate on the elimination of terror outfits between the government and the opposition came as the regional tensions flare over reported involvement of Jaish-e-Mohammad in the Pulwama boming that killed 44 Indian troops and the subsequent action against the militant outfits in line with NAP ahead of Financial Action Task Force meeting.

The government has already taken 44 under-observation members of proscribed organisations, including Mufti Abdul Raoof and Hammad Azhar (no relation to the Minister of State for Revenue) — the brother and son of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Masood Azhar, respectively — in “preventive detention” for investigation.

The timing of Bilawal’s statements also coincides with the opening of corruption cases against him and his father former president Asif Ali Zardari in the National Accountability Bureau. The PPP’s senior leadership used fake accounts to launder money for senior leaders, including Asif Ali Zardari and aunt Faryal Talpur, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) believes.