Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned the government of a ‘countrywide movement’ next month if it does not renegotiate its deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“We call upon the government to renegotiate its deal with the IMF. If it does not happen, we will launch a countrywide movement against this budget which is an enemy of the people,” he said at the inauguration event of the People’s Urban Forest programme in Lyari. He labelled it the ‘PTIMF’ budget and said the government has not negotiated the appropriate budget for the people.
The PPP chairman said that neither the people of Pakistan nor the PPP accept the budget by the PTI government. He accused the government of robbing people of their economic rights. “The federal government is robbing people of their economic rights,” he said. “Last year they gave us less than Rs 100 billion in the NFC Award. This year, they have provided us Rs 140 billion. With such an amount, how can we give employment to our people?” he asked. “Imran Khan had promised to give the youth of this country 10 billion jobs, and had promised to construct five million houses. But in the duration this government has been in power, they have only taken from the people,” he said.
Bilawal said the PPP has always empowered the poor of the country and made policies for their welfare. He said the PPP has always provided employment to the people of Pakistan. “If arrangements could not be made to employ people in Pakistan then we ensured that their passports are made free so they can seek employment abroad,” he said.
Bilawal described the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as a revolutionary concept and said it was the first safety net initiative of Pakistan. He blamed the government for ‘robbing’ the people of the BISP and the money that was given to them as a result of the programme. “They [PTI] have been in power for more than a year, and have not managed to introduce people-friendly policies. Instead, they are involved in conspiracies to eradicate the BISP. One day they remove her (Benazir Bhutto) picture, the second day they remove one million women from the programme. Then they change the name of the initiative entirely. They [PTI] have only stolen from the people,” he added, and called upon the people to become his source of strength so that the party is able to form its government again.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah criticised the federal government, warning them against committing conspiracies. “At least think of your own people,” he said, advising the government to work for the poor and stop conspiring. He said the federal government blames the Sindh government for everything. “I hope they don’t blame us for the spread of the coronavirus,” he said.
Murad said the people have started to jump from the PTI’s ‘sinking ship’. He said if the Sindh chief minister says something, it is viewed with doubt. However, if a government official says something, that is accepted, he remarked.
“You won’t get the injection that makes them see hoors,” he said, mocking Prime Minister Imran Khan. “For you, relief will only be in the grave.”
