ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday said that his party’s leaders were sentenced to jail during Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf’s tenure and they are ready to face the same challenges during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s term.
“We served prison sentences during Zia and Musharraf’s time and are ready to do so in PM Imran’s term as well,” Bilawal said while speaking to reporters outside Parliament House.
The PPP chairman took a jibe at the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government, saying, “This is a selected government with a selected prime minister and selected ministers.”
He further criticised the mini-budget presented by the PTI-led government, explaining that it is not fair to the poor. “PTI vowed to make a common person’s life easier after coming into power but injustice has been done with the poor through the budget,” he said.
“The budget only benefits non-filers and PM Imran Khan’s ATMs,” he claimed.
“The relief granted to non-filers is no less than a scandal,” he said while adding that the PPP “completely rejects” the budget.
“I thought Finance Minister Asad Umar will introduce a friendly budget but it only provided relief to non-filers and will increase unemployment,” he further added.
Stating that the government is clueless about how to run things, Bilawal said, “The mini-budget is a mini-drama which is PTI’s habit as they keep saying they will do this and they will do that. The increases in gas and electricity prices is adversely affecting the poor.”
He also said that chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was a right of the opposition and the PPP government also gave it to the then opposition leader.
Bilawal also commented on PTI’s austerity drive saying, “Pakistan is being laughed at owing the auction of PM House buffaloes and cars”.
In regard to the government’s foreign policy, Bilawal said, “Irresponsible statements were issued regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, there should have been direct talks with Beijing.”
“The nation has even been apprised regarding what was achieved during PM Imran’s visit to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
