ISLAMABAD, Oct 14 (APP):Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday blamed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for the circumstances that led to the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), calling it a “political suicide attack” on the provincial government. Speaking in the National Assembly, he said that the PTI leadership had played a key role in creating the current political and security situation by failing to cooperate …
Bilawal blames PTI for KP emergency, calls it a ‘political suicide attack’
ISLAMABAD, Oct 14 (APP):Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday blamed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for the circumstances that led to the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), calling it a “political suicide attack” on the provincial government.
Speaking in the National Assembly, he said that the PTI leadership had played a key role in creating the current political and security situation by failing to cooperate with the federal government in the fight against terrorism. “Their responsible leadership knows, even if it does not admit it publicly, that the PTI itself carried out a political suicide attack on its KP government,” he said.
Bilawal said the PTI should have presented constitutional, legal or political reasons if it opposed the federal government’s decision. “If the president was not supposed to sign the summary, there should have been a reason for refusing it,” he said. He added that neither President Asif Ali Zardari nor the PPP had received a convincing constitutional, legal or political justification for opposing the move.
Bilawal said that when the summary for imposing an emergency was first sent to the president, the PPP had called for talks with the opposition, particularly the PTI, before invoking the constitutional provision.
He said the PPP wanted the federal government’s concerns about the KP government to be addressed through negotiations. The federal government had accused the provincial government of failing to cooperate adequately in the fight against terrorism.
The PPP chairman said his party’s representatives were part of the committee holding talks with the opposition. Based on past experience, he had hoped the negotiations would succeed.
He said he had received encouraging reports that the talks were progressing and that the PTI might agree to some key proposals.
One proposal was to identify the areas most affected by terrorism in KP and formally declare them terrorism-affected areas through the provincial government, he said.
He added that there had also been a possibility of an agreement between the federal government, the provincial government and the KP chief minister to jointly tackle terrorism at the national and provincial levels. Bilawal said he had hoped the negotiations would lead to a major political breakthrough. He reiterated that dialogue could still provide a way forward.
He warned that restricting the political space of one party could also affect other political parties and Pakistani citizens.
Bilawal said Pakistan had reached a point where a difficult constitutional decision had to be made. The country was facing war-like conditions along its border with Afghanistan, while terrorist attacks continued across Pakistan. KP was among the provinces worst affected by terrorism, he added.
Criticising the KP chief minister’s reported remarks at a public gathering about the federal government’s anti-terrorism efforts, Bilawal said it was politically self-destructive for a provincial chief executive to tell the public that he would not support the federal government’s efforts to fight terrorism.
He said the PPP had no reason to step back from the fight against terrorism, as its leaders and workers had sacrificed their lives in the struggle.
The PPP chairman said President Asif Ali Zardari took pride in his role in the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the restoration of the 1973 Constitution. However, Bilawal said no convincing constitutional, legal or political reason had been presented to justify rejecting the emergency summary in the circumstances described by the government.
Despite the decision, he said, the federal government should keep the door open for political negotiations.
He urged the prime minister to reach out to the opposition leadership and other political parties to find a solution through dialogue.
Bilawal stressed that an emergency was an extraordinary measure and could not remain in force indefinitely. He said lasting success against terrorism required all political parties, federal and provincial governments, and state institutions to work together.
He said the fight against terrorism should not be left to the police, the armed forces or individual political parties. The entire nation had to unite against the threat.
Pakistan had defeated terrorism in the past, he said, but success required national unity and collective efforts.
He added that the current challenge was more complicated than previous phases of the fight against terrorism and required a comprehensive strategy involving all political stakeholders.
Referring to the recent conflict with India, Bilawal said Pakistan had inflicted a defeat on India that would be remembered by history.
He said Pakistan had shot down six Indian aircraft and that New Delhi would find it difficult to accept Pakistan’s performance, particularly because it presented itself as a regional security provider.
He said India might continue trying to destabilise Pakistan through different means.
Bilawal accused India of sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan through the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and separatist organizations. He said India’s role in the changing situation in Afghanistan could not be ignored.
The PPP chairman also said Pakistan had taken on the responsibility of helping efforts to establish peace between Iran and the United States. While Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives could win international appreciation, he said, some forces might oppose them.
He alleged that certain states and Zionist forces could try to interfere in Pakistan’s domestic affairs and create instability by supporting militant organizations.
Bilawal said the government and opposition would have to stand together to deal with these threats.
He said the KP leadership needed to assure the people that it was ready to defend the province and the country against terrorism.
The PPP, he said, had never been afraid of terrorists and would continue the fight if necessary, even on its own. However, the party remained ready to work with other political parties. He added that it would also confront those accused of backing terrorist groups.
Bilawal said political consensus was essential to address the country’s security challenges. Failure to reach an agreement would harm not only political parties but also the country as a whole. He called on political parties to set aside their differences and develop a joint strategy against terrorism.
The PPP chairman welcomed the federal government’s willingness to consider forming a committee at the prime minister’s level in response to his party’s request.
However, he said a committee comprising only PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) representatives would not serve its intended purpose.
He questioned the usefulness of a committee that excluded the opposition. While their participation might not resolve all differences, he said, it could at least help make progress.
Referring to the National Action Plan, Bilawal said political parties had reached a broad consensus during the government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Representatives of both the government and opposition had joined hands to develop a strategy against terrorism.
He called for a similar committee to be formed again to prepare a joint national strategy in the country’s interest.
Bilawal asked whether the PTI was willing to join such a committee and urged it to participate despite its political differences with the government.
He said political parties should make every effort to create space for dialogue and reach agreement on matters of national importance. They should also avoid decisions that could harm their own political standing.
Bilawal said the decision to impose an emergency had been taken and that the PPP would continue its efforts to help the country deal with terrorism. He expressed the hope that the measures would improve security and protect the people of KP.
He again invited the opposition to hold talks with the government and other political parties to create conditions in which the emergency would no longer be needed. “If political dialogue produces an agreement and circumstances improve to the point where the emergency is no longer required, I will personally stand in this House and request the prime minister to end it,” he said.
Bilawal said that Pakistan needed national unity, political reconciliation and collective action to defeat terrorism. Continued political divisions, he warned, would ultimately harm the entire country. He announced that the PPP would support the imposition of an emergency in KP.
