Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday he had warned against “raising Altaf Hussain of Punjab” as he slammed Imran Khan for apparently prompting his supporters to attack state buildings and pick up arms.
“I said he is a political terrorist [Imran Khan],” he said at a press conference in Karachi centered on the actions of PTI supporters in the wake of the former prime minister’s arrest. “But they were not convinced. The role of PTI in the past days, I would only say that those who were involved in these crimes will have to answer now.”
His comments were made in relation to the founder of MQM Altaf Hussain, whose controversial speech led to two factions in the party. Many politicians and residents blame the MQM founder for the rising crime in the city in the past.
At the presser, the PPP chief slammed Khan for not following his party’s principle that was made on maintaining accountability.
Bilawal was of the view that Khan was arrested as per law and Constitution. He added that the PTI’s reaction to Khan’s arrest was not political as its supporters opted to be a “militant organisation” and picked stones, guns, batons, and attack states.
“I remember TTP attacked the GHQ and now PTI did that. I remember BLA attacked the Jinnah House in Ziarat and now PTI attacked Jinnah House in Lahore,” he said and claimed that the PPP never harmed the state institutions when their leadership was put behind bars.
To a query, Bilawal expressed a hope that “this strategic asset policy” would end forever. He was apparently referring to his concerns over appointing favourites at the helm of government. The PPP chairman used to call Khan a “selected prime minister” during the PTI stint.
Bilawal said that the onus was on the PTI to make a decision on its actions. He advised the Imran Khan-led party to not “make matters worse” and call for an end to protests.
“The PTI has to decide what they want to do now,” he said, “I don’t think there should be any ban but if they decide to do an arm rebellion against the state of Pakistan then absolutely there will be a circumstance where we will be forced what national requirements say.”
The foreign minister was responding to a query pertaining to any ban on the PTI as the federal capital police arrest half a dozen leaders of the former ruling party.
He reiterated that he was not in favour of banning any party. “If the decision to ban PTI is taken, I will be the last one,” he said and added that legal and constitutional options would be followed on banning the PTI. “The option to ban is available as a last resort.”
He went on to add that a decision to ban any party could not be made after watching videos on TV. Bilawal said he was in favour of dialogue between political parties.
He was of the view that Khan was the beneficiary of the coalition government’s amendments to NAB law.
“PPP principally thought of shutting NAB down. But Nawaz Sharif was against it,” he said and added that the tweak led to a reduction in remand sought by NAB.
“Unfortunately accusations are severe. The NCA of the United Kingdom gave 190 million pounds of Pakistan’s money. It should have been given to the people of Sindh. Khan was the-then PM and supporter of justice. When 190 million pounds was sent here, Khan got a chance to bring the looted money here, but he refused to do and abused the office of the PM Office.
In a hidden envelope, he forcefully took approval from his cabinet. I challenge every member of the PPP who were part of that cabinet then to reject that what cabinet approved that that money despite going to the national treasury, the cabinet gave that money to Malik Riaz so that he can complete his fine now. The point is that this is the accusation,“ said Bilawal.
