Bilawal comes out all guns blazing against govt over police action

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday came out with all guns blazing against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over police action against PPP workers in Islamabad.

Addressing a presser following his appearance before a probe team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the fake bank accounts, he said no one can stop them from staging a protest which is their constitutional right.

“Water cannons, tear gas and batons were used against the PPP workers. This was nothing new for them,” the PPP chairman said, adding there was no emergency situation in the federal capital nor was Section 144 imposed.

“The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan attacked the peaceful PPP workers and elected members.”

He said they couldn’t be frightened by such tactics nor will they compromise on their ideology, vowing to take a legal course of action against the treatment meted out to the PPP workers.

Slamming the government, Mr Bhutto Zardari said it termed 80 per cent of the bureaucrats and investors thieves, adding that such attitude is taking a heavy toll on the country’s economy.

He said the state machinery is being used against opponents and announced to resist such moves by protests.

He demanded National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to issue a production order of PTM leader and MNA Ali Wazir, who is in the custody of CTD, to enable him to appear in the upcoming session of the lower house of Parliament.

“There is no difference between the regime of [military ruler Pervaiz] Musharraf and the incumbent government,” the PPP chairman said.

At least 40 PPP workers were taken into custody on the occasion of the PPP chief’s appearance before NAB Rawalpindi for questioning. The party workers who had gathered at D-Chowk to show support for Bilawal clashed with police, who used water cannons and tear gas to disperse them.