Sindh govt to support, facilitate Fazl’s Azadi March: Bilawal

KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan People's Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said holding Azadi March was the democratic right of Maulana Fazlur Rhman's Party and announced that the Sindh government would 'fully support and facilitate' Maulana's party in its protest march against the 'undemocratic, puppet government'. The PPP chairman also announced to hold his party's anti-government Awami Rabta Muhim from Oct 18.

Speaking at a crowded news conference on Wednesday after hours long Core Committee meeting of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party after thorough consultations, has decided “support” the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F’s Azadi March and 'Dharna' in Islamabad and said the Sindh government would extend all possible support to Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s party in the province.

At the occasion, he also announced to launch its own campaign against the government separately through “Awami Rabta Muhim”, saying he would continue his visits and lead campaign in Punjab and other parts of the country against the undemocratic and puppet regime. Bilawal maintained the PPP does not support the politics of sit-in in principle but that they would back JUI-F’s call as the government has left the political parties with no option but to raise their voice for the people of Pakistan. “We have decided to support the JUI-F call and we would do our best to facilitate Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s party in their Azadi March towards Islamabad,” he said. “Our office bearers in different cities would welcome their caravans and offer them support in their march.

Announcing PPP's 'Awami Rabta Muhim', the PPP chairman said we would also continue our campaign against the government and in the first phase would hold a public rally in Karachi on October 18 to mark the anniversary of 2007 the Karsaz attack. In the second phase we would hold rallies in Punjab against the government,” he said. Responding to a query regarding his personal participation in the JUI-F protest in Islamabad, Bilawal called it “very difficult” to make it though he offered support to Maulana Fazlur Rehman on behalf of the Sindh government to facilitate his workers. In response to another question, he said although he does not believe in the politics of sit-in as it is against the democratic norms, he justified the JUI-F call for protest blaming the government for creating such opportunities due to its incompetence. “Principally, the PPP doesn’t support overthrowing any elected government or the prime minister due to protests in the capital as it sets a negative trend,” he said. “In democracy there is always a process to elect or wrap up any government. But unfortunately, this puppet government has eliminated all such options one after another. If there is no way through parliament, judiciary, election commission or accountability body, then streets and sit-ins are the only options left with the political parties.”

Bilawal then recounted the ongoing protest campaigns across the country not only from political parties but by different other segments of the society as “severely incompetent selected government is more interested in appeasing its selectors.” “It’s not only PPP or PML-N or Maulana Fazlur Rehman alone who are protesting, you see everyone protesting, be it the traders, labourers, farmers, doctors in KPK or even the newly-formed party PTM. If the government keeps the doors of parliament closed, stops opposition from legislation and throws opposition leaders in jail, it would ultimately lead to protests only,” he added. While deciding not to become an active part of Fazl-led protest, Bilawal Zardari however showed confidence in Maulana Fazlur Rehman that he was leading the protest march only for a better democratic culture and stability of the country. “I firmly believe that Maulana Sahab is a true democratic man. He has a history of active role in pro-democracy campaigns and siding with true democratic forces. I can’t even think that he would be doing all this [Islamabad march] over some signal from any third force,” added the PPP chairman.