Politics not through abuses, governance not through magic: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Wednesday lashes out the government in the National Assembly (NA) saying that there was a huge difference between politics in container and governing.

“This is not container but the parliament and now you have to do serious politics and made policies. Who will explain to the government that it should have to know the economy does not depend upon the donations, politics (is) not through abuses and governments not run through magic,” he said while speaking in the NA on the debate on amendment in Finance Bill, 2018.

Bilawal said the PTI had been claiming that “neither no new loans will be taken nor opt for begging but what (is) being happening it was contrary to their claims (as) the government was holding negotiations with the IMF secretly”. “New Pakistan was going towards old IMF,” he said.

He said the government has to realise that “it should have to take tough decision and stick to the tough decision and not to take U-turns. We will not allow the government to take U-turns as they have to take tough decisions”.

He questioned why the Parliament was not taken into confidence on the issue of FATF and what steps were taken to remove the name of Pakistan from grey list.

Bilawal said the people had expectations from the PTI government for their first budget but they had been disappointed as it did not even have mentions of their first 100-days priority in the budget. “Where were 10 million jobs which they have promised with the people in the elections for one Pakistan,” he said adding that PTI voters were also disappointed with the status-quo budget.

The PPP chairman said the PTI had promised for raise in the budget for health and education sector but cut has been imposed on the health and education sectors in the mini-budget.

Bilawal said those who raise the issue of the South Punjab and formed South Punjab Mahaz were silent now after getting the ministry. “No voice comes from anywhere for South Punjab now,” he said adding that the PPP has completed its homework for the South Punjab.

He advised the government to approve the new province of South Punjab through the Parliament. Bilawal said that farmers are facing difficulties and despite promises no water scheme was announced.

He said increase in prices of electricity and gas makes life of the poor difficult. Bilawal termed the government ministers statements on CPEC as disappointing.

Later talking to newsmen after his speech in the NA, Bilawal said sending of the motion to Special Committee of the National Assembly to probe allegations of poll rigging into Parliamentary Committee was a positive step and hoped that it will work independently. “Though the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Committee to probe the allegations of the poll rigging was not given to opposition, yet we hope that the Committee could be run amicably. But if the Parliamentary Committee did not come up to expectations then the opposition will formulate its future strategy,” he said.

Bilawal was hopeful that chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee would go to the Opposition. “The PTI government claimed it believes in the accountability and hoped that the PTI government will not run away from the accountability and transparency,” he said.

He said in the National Assembly (NA) that free press is the fundamental component of healthy democracy and in fact the space PTI was given in the media has lot to do with why they are in government today.

“I want to bring to attention of the government that Pakistan Federation of Unions of Journalists (PFUJ) was protesting against lack of free press and media censorship in ‘Naya Pakistan’,” he said.

He said the PFUJ was protesting for freedom of press but why the government was not taking steps to ensure free press.