From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday announced that PPP will begin a long march against the incumbent government on February 27.
Briefing media about decisions of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting held in Lahore, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari announced that he will lead a long march against the ruling PTI government from Karachi.
“PPP will begin its long march against the incumbent government from Karachi on February 27,” announced Bilawal Bhutto.
While talking about Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) planned long march to Islamabad, the PPP chief said: “PDM did not consult with PPP before announcing Islamabad long march. Our long march will be separate from PDM’s inflation march.”
The PPP chief also demanded immediate “free and fair” general elections in the county. He also slammed ruling PTI over rising inflation in the country and recently tabled Finance Supplementary Bill, 2021 – generally known as mini-budget.
“PPP will register its protest over anti-people mini-budget inside and outside the parliament,” said Bilawal.
Bilawal Bhutto also urged Supreme Court to set aside its stay order from a minimum wage bill of Rs25,000.
It emerged yesterday that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) had recommended continuing its public movement to topple Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government besides deciding to strongly protest against the rise in inflation.
The session of PPP CEC was held in Lahore under the chair of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. The session was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Maula Bukhsh Chandio, Qaim Ali Shah, Shazia Marri, Nafisa Shah and other central leaders.
Sources said that a white paper on the PTI government’s performance was presented in the PPP CEC and federal council by Shazia Marri.
It emerged that PPP CEC will decide on starting contacts with the opposition parties to tighten noose around the PTI government besides mulling over to bring a no-confidence motion.
It may be noted here that the PPP’s long march announcement comes a month after Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the multi-party opposition alliance, had announced that it will kick off its long march towards Islamabad on March 23.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman – who is also the head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement– announced the date while briefing media about decisions taken in the hours-long meeting held in Islamabad on Dec 6.
Flanked by other opposition leaders, the JUI-F chief said that PDM’s ‘Mehangai’ march or inflation march against the incumbent government would start on March 23.
