'Raiwand's prime minister' sent abroad despite conviction: Bilawal

• Bilawal hits out at PML-N, PTI.
• Crticises dual standards of accountability.
• Slams PTI's economic policies.

---

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday said "Raiwand's prime minister" Nawaz Sharif was sent abroad despite being convicted, as he lashed out at the ruling PTI and PML-N.

"If the president (Asif Ali Zardari) is from Nawabshah, he remains on medical bail despite trumped-up charges," the PPP chairman said, during a press conference in Islamabad.

Bilawal said Zardari remains in Pakistan — moving from one doctor to another — despite his children telling him to go abroad and seek treatment.

"I want to ask the prime minister (Imran Khan) that what sort of accountability is being implemented in the country?" he asked, adding that if the premier's friends are being alleged of a crime, no action is taken against them.

He went on to say that despite accusations against the prime minister and his sister, no action is taken against them either.

However, if the sister of a former president from Nawabshah is blamed for something, "then she is dragged to jail from her hospital bed", he said, referring to PPP leader Faryal Talpur.

Opposition leader from Lahore vs Sukkur

The PPP chairman then continued to lash out at the PTI-led government over its standards of accountability. "This system is a mockery of the Constitution," he said.

"If the Opposition leader is from Lahore (Shahbaz Sharif), he is awarded bail, and if the Opposition leader hails from Sukkur (Khursheed Shah), he is denied the right and treated like a ping-pong ball, sent back and forth from NAB courts to the Supreme Court," Bilawal said. 

The PPP chairman claimed the authorities were repeatedly blackmailing Shah's children and his wife.

Bilawal said the people would soon hold PTI and PM Imran Khan accountable for their alleged corruption and mismanagement. He further vowed his party would not back down from its stance despite the government's pressure on it.

PPP to not back down from its stance

Bilawal said PPP would not back down as it believed in the power of the people and parliament, adding that if the Opposition parties were not capable of sending the government packing, then in the next election, the people would do their work for them.

"Why are you begging (for handouts) from the Arab countries and the IMF?" asked the PPP chairman, dismissing the government's claims that Pakistan was progressing economically. 

Bilawal claimed whether it was Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin or any other minister, the government was now coming to the terms that the PPP's stance was correct. 

PM not aware not of common man's problems

"If you remember, President Zardari had said 'NAB and the economy cannot run together,'" he said.

Hitting out at the prime minister, Bilawal said judging by PM Imran Khan's statements, it was clear he wasn't aware of the common man's problems. 

"The prime minister says Pakistan's days of crisis are over. Not sure about the common man but the IMF's difficult time is over, for sure," he said, in sarcasm.

He said the incumbent finance minister had "admitted" that the government had been handling financial matters in a poor manner.