–PPP chief addresses DI Khan rally, says ‘selected government’ on shaky ground, would fall soon
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has expressed grave concern over Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz’s claims regarding blackmailing of the presiding judge in the trial against her father.
Earlier in the day, Maryam had come out with claims regarding the trial that led to her father, former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, being convicted and sentenced to prison, saying the entire judicial process was “severely compromised” as the judge had been “forced to issue an unfavourable verdict against him”.
“Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has expressed grave concern on the allegations levied by the PML-N regarding blackmailing of a judge through an incriminating video to force him to give the desired verdict in the case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif,” read a statement released by his spokesperson after Maryam’s explosive presser.
The statement noted that it was not the first time that such accusations had surfaced and that in the past “similar allegations of exerting pressure on the judges have also been made”. “It is indeed a sad commentary on the health of Pakistani democracy that such accusations continue to be made so often and so repeatedly.”
According to the statement, the PPP chairman also called upon the judiciary to “take appropriate action in the matter”. “If for some reasons the judiciary is not inclined to address such issues then the opposition parties must deliberate on it and formulate a united course of action,” Bilawal said.
The statement, terming today’s development as “most unfortunate”, regretted that “political circles are abuzz with pressure reportedly exerted on judges to deliver preferred verdicts in corruption cases against opposition leaders, in by-elections against opposition candidates amid talk of even the superior judiciary brought under pressure.”
The spokesperson said that the presidential references against some honourable judges are also viewed by many as “attempts by the regime to undermine judicial independence”. The PPP has appealed to all judges under pressure to recuse themselves from cases rather than give verdicts under pressure.
The party has also demanded remedial measures be taken “to ensure the independence of the judiciary and to ensure that justice is not only done but also seen to be done”. It has called upon all institutions “to stay within their constitutional domain”.
‘NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH’:
Meanwhile, addressing a political rally in Dera Ismail (DI) Khan, Bilawal said that there was no freedom of speech in the country as former president Asif Ali Zardari’s interview was taken off the air.
“If an Indian spy or the head of a terrorist organisation’s interview can be broadcast, then why not his [Asif Zardari]?” he asked, adding that the “selected government” was on shaky ground and would soon fall.
The PPP had always tried its best to work for the uplift of the erstwhile tribal areas, he said. “I understand the plight of those who have lost their loved ones in the face of terrorism,” the PPP chief added.
Training guns at Interior Minister Brigadier (r) Ijaz Shah, he further said that, “Why do you think the international community doesn’t want to take us seriously because we have the facilitators of terrorism in the federal cabinet.”