If any political party supports terrorism, governor’s rule could become inevitable, says PPP chairman
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addresses a press conference after a meeting of PPP Azad Jammu and Kashmir Parliamentary Party on Friday. Photo: NNI
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed concern over the adoption of extremist positions by political parties and has stressed that while he does not want any political party to be banned, responsible political behavior is necessary.
“I don’t want political parties to be banned, but what am I supposed to do if a political party behaves like an extremist organization?” Bilawal stated while speaking to the media in Lahore on Wednesday, emphasizing that any such party must adopt a more political approach and move away from extremism.
He further warned that the actions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could lead to restrictions, stating: “If the PTI continues with this type of behavior, a ban may be necessary.” And he added: “Someone should tell them to dedicate themselves to politics, not extremism.”
Regarding Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Bilawal mentioned that he had not seen the governor’s statement on the possibility of a governor’s government in the province. However, he warned that if any political party supports terrorists instead of confronting them, it could lead to the imposition of the governor’s government.
“If the PTI’s actions continue, the governor’s government could become a necessity,” Bilawal explained. He stressed that if parties focus on opposing military actions (in particular, calling for the withdrawal of the army) instead of combating terrorism, a situation could be created where the governor’s rule becomes inevitable.
Bilawal also claimed that Pakistan won the war against India and India has not yet recovered from it. “They continue to plot on our borders and terrorists in Afghanistan continue to launch attacks,” he added.
He criticized elements within Pakistan who, instead of opposing the enemy, spoke the enemy’s language and spread propaganda against the military leadership. “I demand that political parties break their ties with these propagandists,” he said.
The PPP president also stressed that political parties should compete with the PPP in Sindh and the PML-N in Punjab, accusing some parties of playing the role of political tricksters. “I am free to criticize or praise the government,” Bilawal said, stressing that he works according to his mandate. He also expressed support for the inclusion of both the opposition and the government in the political process.
Bilawal publicly appealed to Maryam Nawaz to contest the elections from Sindh, saying: “I would be happy if Maryam Nawaz, or any member of the Muslim League, contested in Sindh as it would strengthen the political process.”
He also stated that the Electoral Commission does not have the confidence of either the allied parties or the opposition. The PPP chairman underlined the importance of electoral reforms to avoid claims of a “selected” prime minister or chief ministers, stressing that he cannot be accused of being selected under Form 47.
