KARACHI:Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that Mian Nawaz Sharif has the right to speak as he chooses to as he [Bilawal Bhutto Zardari] has the right to speak his mind.
This was stated by provincial Minister for Information Syed Nasir Shah in a statement he issued here on Friday. Nasir Shah clarifying the interview excerpts of Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to BBC said that it should be read in its entirety instead of going through its headlines, subheadings and TV scrolls. The statement reads as follows:
The Chairman in his interview said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) came into being as a result of the Multi-party Conference convened by Pakistan Peoples Party, therefore the PPP was fully committed with the PDM agenda. “We stand by our joint resolution, which calls for an end to the role of establishment in politics,” the chairman had said.
Chairman PPP said: “for the PPP, it is not just about the 2018 elections but we have been facing this issue [of rigging and stealing of elections] for generations, even when we had won elections in 1988 and 2008 t we had accepted results despite our serious reservations.”
Provincial minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari believed that the solution was not inquiring into just one election but for all elections. “We need a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) so that an end can be brought to this chapter once for all,” the chairman was quoted as saying.
Referring to the names being taken by Nawaz Sharif, the chairman was quoted as saying “PPP also took some names during election, and for all names that were spelt out were with solid proof. “There is a difference between shaq and sabot [doubt and proof] -we have only taken names with proof,” chairman had said.
The PPP chairman talking about Nawaz Sharif said that he has been prime minister of Pakistan thrice. “He [Nawaz Sharif] wouldn’t say something without proof,” Bilawal said.
According to Nasir Shah, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari mentioned in his interview that he hadn’t had the opportunity to meet Mian Nawaz Sharif due to COVID-19 restrictions, and therefore hadn’t been taken into confidence.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also clearly said that Nawaz Sharif has the right to speak as he chooses to and similarly he [Bilawal Bhutto Zardari] has the right to speak his mind.
Brushing aside the impression of difference in PDM, the chairman PPP has categorically said that his party [PPP] was committed with PDM and its joint resolution which called for bringing an end to the establishment’s role in politics.
Nasir Shah quoting his party chairman said the PDM member parties have different manifestos and different approaches to national politics. “This does not mean we can’t come together on a common minimum agenda like we have,” he concluded.