Sharif's notion of democracy linked with power: Bilawal Bhutto

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said Nawaz Sharif’s notion of democracy is linked with power.

Addressing a mammoth crowd in Kotli Sattian here, the PPP chairman said Sharif raises pro-democratic slogans as shield whenever he finds his party politics in danger.

He said Sharif was the opening batsman of former president Gen (retd) Zia-ul-Haq, while implying his friendly ties with Haq who assumed presidency in 1978 after imposing martial law.

On the occasion, Bilawal lashed out at Sharif for his role in disqualifying PPP elected premier Yousaf Raza Gilani back in 2012.

“Don’t you [Nawaz Sharif] remember your anti-democratic moves during our government tenure,” the PPP chairperson thundered.

He rebuked the supreme leader of PML-N for the government plans to privatise state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).

Coming on Senate chairmanship elections, Bilawal said his party exposed the rifts within the ruling party as the PML-N backed candidates couldn’t secure top seats of the upper house of parliament.

Taking a jibe at Maryam Nawaz over her popular slogan “stop if you can”, Bilawal said the ruling party was barred from making their candidates elected.

“Look, we have stopped you,” he said.

Moreover, he said Sharif-led PML-N undertook several development projects in Punjab including metro bus to receive hefty kickbacks and make illegal money.