PTI govt responsible for resurgence of terror: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Holding the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf government responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in the country, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Monday that a decision was taken that undermined the efforts of our martyrs during the transition of power in Afghanistan.

This decision, made without the input of parliament or the people, allowed engagement with the very terrorists that had been defeated by the police, army, and people of the country.

Addressing the media alongside Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti after attending ‘The Wall of Martyrs’ at the Interior Ministry of Pakistan to hoist the picture of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed gratitude to Sarfaraz Bugti for the initiative. He praised ‘The Wall of Martyrs,’ saying it immortalises the sacrifices of the martyrs. He recounted that the terrorists were invited by Imran Khan to settle in the tribal areas of the country in large numbers, the very regions they had been chased out of. He mentioned that Imran Khan, during the opposition unity government, had publicly acknowledged the resettlement of terrorists in Pakistan, which he believes is the cause behind the country facing the same crisis once again.

Bilawal highlighted that our army and police are still targets of terrorism, and the state of Pakistan should ponder how this can happen through a U-turn taken overnight without the permission of parliament and the people, despite the country’s continuous struggle to rid the land of terrorism.

“Once again, our army soldiers, police, and people would have to combat terrorists and defeat them,” he said. The PPP chairman said the martyrs of the country who have been targets of terrorism, including our politicians, police, lawyers, judges, and army soldiers, have all rendered great sacrifices.

“As a result of their struggle, peace was achieved in the land, and terrorism was eradicated from the country,” he said. Unfortunately, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said a decision was taken that undermined the efforts of our martyrs during a transition of power in Afghanistan. This decision, made without the input of parliament or the people, allowed for engagement with the very terrorists that had been defeated by the police, army, and people of the country. “They were released from the prisons in Pakistan, and the terrorists responsible for attacking Pakistani land from Afghanistan were also released there,” he said. Responding to questions, Bilawal said that those involved in the process and decision should be investigated, and their intentions should be made clear. He said it should also be ensured that such a decision is not taken in the future; otherwise, it would be difficult for us to convince our people to fight if they are under the impression that a U-turn will be taken again, and their efforts would be futile.

“Our demand is for this issue to be investigated because such a momentous decision was taken without taking parliament or the people into the loop,” he said, adding that it is imperative to ensure that a decision with such grave consequences is not taken again.

The PPP chairman said that the country’s priority should be to bring the terrorists involved in grave crimes against our country to book.

“We will continuously engage with Afghanistan, as we did during the unity government,” he said. He believed that neither Pakistan nor could Afghanistan get rid of terrorism without working together. To another question regarding elections in the country, Bilawal said the PPP believes in free and fair elections as well as ‘One Man, One Vote.’

In response to a question, Bilawal said that when Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was alive, she was the chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party, while Makhdoom Ameen Faheem was heading the parliamentary wing of the party, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians. After entering politics, he said that the tradition was continued, and he is currently heading the PPP.

Talking about the presidential reference regarding Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he said that he is grateful to Justice Qazi Faez Isa for hearing this case. He said that he had submitted an application in 2018 for the case to be heard. He said he has also submitted an application for this case to be aired live, as this is being done for other cases too, since efforts were made to brush important issues under the rug in the past. Those involved in this crime should be exposed before the nation.

“Justice should not only be done; justice should be seen to be done in Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case,” he said.

Earlier, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, in his introductory remarks during a press talk with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Islamabad, said that the authority to pardon terrorists should not be with the state but with the heirs of the martyr. “Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has the power to pardon Benazir Bhutto’s killers instead of the state,” he said.