From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari conceded on Sunday that the opposition’s no-trust move against the PTI-led government was not an easy task and that he could not guarantee its success but added that even if the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly failed, he will continue his struggle against “this puppet regime”.
He expressed these views while holding a press conference at the residence of Nadeem Afzal Chan – a meeting that marked Chan’s return to the PPP folds.
Chan had served as an adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan owing to which his return was being dubbed as a big blow to the PTI-led government at the Centre. Interestingly his younger brother, Waseem Chan distanced himself from his brother’s move, stating in a video message, that his brother’s decision to join PPP was purely his own and that his family was not onboard on the move.
Bilawal, in today’s news conference, said that no confidence motion was an uphill task however it was a risk worth taking. He said that waiting for guarantees means leaving people at mercy of “this tyrant and unjust regime”. In a veiled criticism to PDM’s decision of long march on Islamabad and present en-masse resignations, he said that no-confidence motion was the only move to bring this government under an immense pressure, even forcing them to reach out to their coalition partners. He said that they had from the day one proposed a two-pronged strategy of not only fight it out in parliament but also taking it to streets to allow people to express their sentiments against the government.
The PPP chief said that they can bring no-confidence motion in aid of those from treasury benches, who have assured their support to all the three political parties in opposition camp but even that he said did not guarantee any success. However, he added, if they have the support of the coalition partners, their chances of success in that case were a “near certainty”. He said in politics, every vote was important, and politicians try to secure as many votes prior to election as possible.
Furthermore, he also indicated that it was important to consider bringing no-confidence motion against both National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asif Ali Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif will soon hold a meeting to decide on the timeline of no-confidence vote.
When asked about neutrality of establishment, he said that establishment has historically never been neutral however in coming few days, they will get to know it for a fact if the establishment has actually become neutral or not, which in a way meant that if opposition managed to succeed in no-confidence motion, opposition will term establishment as neutral, however if the opposition failed, then establishment will be blamed for their continued support for the PTI regime.
To a question about history of no-confidence motion’s failures including the one moved against his late mother Benazir Bhutto, the then prime minister of Pakistan, he interestingly said that the no-confidence motion moved against his mother, was undemocratic while this time around their move was very much democratic.
To another question of PML-N’s accusation on him of being selectors new choice, Bilawal said that to his knowledge they had not said such a thing, but when pressed again by the reporter, he mused that don’t try to pitch opposition parties against each other, all opposition parties were out for a “noble cause”. He said that every political party can be termed as ‘selected’ – a euphuism for being nurtured and supported by establishment – and their history stands as testament to that, but only his party cannot be blamed for being selected.
He said they have defeated PTI before during Senate election in National Assembly and they will surely do it again during the no-confidence motion. He reiterated that PM Imran should either resign or dissolve his assemblies and if he did not do so, then they will launch a “constitutional attack” on him upon reaching Islamabad.
Bilawal welcomed Chan back to PPP family, saying Chan in his heart had never forsaken his party.
Chan, thanked Bilawal and PPP leadership for having him back in the PPP family. He termed joining PTI as a mistake stating that there were pressures upon him and his family owing to which he had to make that choice.
His brother Waseem Chan, in a video clip, stated that it was Nadeem’s personal decision and that his brothers and his father were not onboard. He said his family was not with him on this decision. He said that they have PTI’s mandate that they will stand by PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Interestingly Bilawal, back when Nadeem parted ways with PPP to join PTI, had said that Nadeem Afzal Chan was never an ideological worker.
