Bilawal Bhutto not in favor of banning PTI, urges to shun violence

KARACHI: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Thursday urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to end the “violent” protests that erupted after the arrest of party chief Imran Khan two days ago.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the PPP chairman advised the PTI “not to make matters worse” and termed the protests “completely unjustified”.

“I am not in favour of banning anyone,” he said, but in the same breath said that adding that “such a decision would be taken because if there would be no other choice left.”

The foreign minister urged the PTI to refrain from making “matters worse and called for an end to violent protests. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari added that “those involved [in violence] will be held accountable”.

“What has happened, has happened. Don’t make things more worse for yourself,” said PPP chief, adding that PTI had crossed all boundaries, and now it was the responsibility of institutions concerned to enforce Pakistan’s laws and the Constitution.

Bilawal Bhutto went on to say that PPP has never celebrated the arrests of its political rivals. “When any politician is arrested, it is the loss of the entire country.”

The PPP leader said that arrest of Imran Khan had been carried out in accordance with the law and the Constitution.

He also slammed PTI for attacking Pakistan Army General Headquarters (GHQ), saying “there were only two examples of the GHQ coming under attack — once by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and then by the PTI.