File photo, courtesy PPP Media Cell
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to cease “violent protests” before the situation worsens, adding that he was principally opposed to any political party being banned.
In a press conference from Karachi, he called on PTI workers to cease violent agitation and move on from the past two days’ chaos. “The PTI should not cause any more harm,” he said. “They should declare an end to violent protests and face the cases against them,” he said, adding that the aim should be taking steps to achieve political stability.
Referring to the ransacking of Jinnah House in Lahore—also known as the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence—he said it recalled the attack on Jinnah House in Ziarat by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). “I do not remember any other party staging such attacks over a two-week remand,” he said of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s arrest of Imran Khan. “Our leaders were hanged and we did not attack the GHQ. We did not attack Corps Commander’s house,” he said, adding that even after the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, when the whole country had erupted with anger, the PPP had advocated peace. “We shunned violence and said that democracy is the best revenge,” he added.
Describing PTI workers and leaders as “political terrorists,” he said that anyone found guilty of criminal action would be prosecuted. Advising the PTI to shun violence and adopt a political approach, he said it was time for the party to determine whether it wished to be a “political party or an anti-state party.”
Maintaining that the PTI’s violent protests had shown it had preferred attacking the state over responding politically, he noted that the last time General Headquarters in Rawalpindi was attacked, it was by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Regretting that this was not the first time that the PTI had flouted the rule of law, he referred to Khan’s attempt to dissolve the National Assembly while facing a vote of no-confidence last year, adding that no action had been taken against the PTI chief.
He also noted that the PTI had resisted arrest when police sought to arrest Khan at Zaman Park earlier this year. “When the police arrived to execute the arrest warrant against Khan, a lot happened,” he said, adding that the PTI appeared to think the law applied to everyone other than the PTI. Stressing that the PTI had now crossed every “red line,” he said it was the responsibility of the state and institutions to enforce the law and the Constitution. “The issue is that they thought anyone could cross the red line,” he added.
Ban on PTI?
To a question on whether the government was considering implementing a ban on the PTI, the PPP leader said he was not in favor of banning anyone. However, he added, it could be considered an option of last resort if it were conclusively proven that the PTI had purposely sought to attack state institutions.
Echoing a press release of the military’s media wing that had described the events of May 9 as a “dark day” in Pakistan’s history, Bhutto-Zardari said the history of Pakistan was littered with such days. Saying the PPP did not find it a cause of celebration when a political leader was arrested because it was a loss to politics as a whole, he stressed that his party had always opposed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). At the same time, he noted, the PTI had always defended it.
“Khan initiated a campaign to save NAB when we sought amendments, accusing us of seeking a NRO,” he said, noting that Khan was the first person to benefit from the reforms undertaken by the incumbent government. No one should be exempt from accountability, he said, adding that the government would take accountability for NAB to gauge its success. “Imran Khan has always said that the very name of his party is based on justice and that everyone should be held accountable,” he added.
Regretting the damages inflicted on state property, including public buses, he questioned what the fault of the public transport service was that it incurred the PTI’s wrath. “The events of the past days have made our efforts to lower the political temperature difficult,” he admitted, lamenting that Khan did not appear interested in either defending democracy or democracy.
“My message to the PTI is that if democracy continues, you can survive,” he said, “All problems are solved by democracy,” he said, adding that all political stakeholders should work within the bounds of democratic process. He went on to say that he had earlier been hopeful that talks between the ruling alliance and the PTI would bear fruit and elections would be held on time. However, he said, this would require all stakeholders to ensure the democratic process were not derailed.
To a question, he said real estate tycoon Malik Riaz—who Khan is alleged to have returned money seized by the U.K.’s National Crime Agency in exchange for land to build the Al-Qadir University—should return that money to the government.