Bilawal opposes use of state institutions for political revenge
Pakistan
Says democracy is under strain across the world
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Wednesday the state institution should not be used for political revenge.
Addressing the Oxford Union, he said Pakistan was facing various challenges and lamented that democracy was also not strengthened in the country. He highlighted that democracy was also under strain across the world.
He said the PPP strongly believed in democracy, and the party played a key role in the Charter of Democracy.
Bilawal said his party supported the national politics whenever it was needed. He noted that in the past, the PPP was targeted in the name of accountability. When Asif Zardari was elected as president for the first time, there were no political prisoners, he recalled, adding that his aunt was arrested during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
He said Shehbaz Sharif and other political leaders were also arrested when the PTI was in power.
He emphasised that PPP did not support targeting anyone politically. The party believes in negotiations to resolve issues.
He pointed out that even the jail menu for political prisoners was changed during the PTI rule. “Now there is a demand for changes in the jail menu and the provision of facilities,” he apparently referred to PTI chairman Imran Khan, who has been detained for months.
Bilawal also recalled that Asif Zardari spent a long time in jail as a political prisoner. When PPP came into power, they believed that "democracy is the best revenge," he said.
The PPP chief said the party has always opposed the NAB system of accountability.
