Never termed Altaf Hussain, Nawaz Sharif a traitor, says Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said that he never termed Mutahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain or Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif  a ‘traitor’.

Bilawal, while addressing the media after a meeting with JUI-F leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, said that Altaf Hussain is a “political reality of Karachi” and he never termed “Altaf uncle a traitor”.

He said that Nawaz Sharif was a democratically elected Prime Minister and would never call him a traitor. He said that he was taken out of context when he spoke about Sharif’s association with Indian Prime Minister Modi.

However, he admitted he has several political differences with Nawaz Sharif on issues such as the foreign policy and counter terrorism efforts.

When asked about whether the MQM supremo remained a political reality after the party disassociated from him, he asked such conspiracies were being hatched since a long time.

“I heard someone say yesterday that there should be another minus one in my family.,” said Bhutto who also said that those who issue such directive fall prey to conspiracies theories which was part of our political sphere.

This was a direct jibe at PTI Chairman Imran Khan who had called for PPP to disassociate from former President Asif Ali Zardari for his collusion with Nawaz Sharif,

He said that this minus-one formula was used on his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, uncles Shahnawaz Bhutto and Murtaza Bhutto, and even his mother Benazir Bhutto, and now there are speaking about the Asif Zardari.

When asked if the PPP will still works with the PTI over the Panama Papers investigation, Bilawal said that they will continue to work with any political party despite their political differences.

He also said that he has tremendous respect for Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, and it was a matter of pride for him to pride for that he has worked from his grandfather and his father.

Bilawal said that Maulana Fazl will help to convince Nawaz Sharif to approve the bill for inquiry into the Panama Papers for sake of national peace and security.