'Historic' poverty, unemployment, inflation PTI's 'only accomplishment' in 3 years: Bilawal

By
Imtiaz Hussain
Historic poverty, unemployment, inflation PTIs only accomplishment in 3 years: Bilawal

  • Bilawal says party to soon give call for protest against government.
  • PPP "only party" that can give a tough time to the government, he says.
  • “Even those who had jobs have been laid off in the last three years.”


The PTI has been able to give this country "nothing but historic poverty, unemployment, and inflation", PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Saturday, as he slammed the incumbent government for its performance in the last three years.

The PPP chairman, addressing party workers in Tando Allah Yar, said the "selected government is launching attacks" on the public from all fronts — in terms of their human, democratic, and economic rights.

"We will face off against this incompetent and inept government," Bilawal said, as he announced that PPP would soon give a call for anti-government protests.

He added that PPP is the "only party" that can give a tough time to the Centre.

Bilawal said that whenever a "selected government" rules the country, they deprive the masses of their basic rights — just like the PTI-led government has done in the last three years.

Read more: Time now for world to help Afghanistan achieve peace, PM says

The poverty rate in Pakistan has surpassed that of Bangladesh and Afghanistan, despite Kabul's 20-year war, the PPP chairman said, lashing out at the government for its economic policies.

The people of Pakistan are "not satisfied" with the three-year performance of "puppet" Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said, adding that the PTI had promised to provide houses and jobs to the people, but instead, jobs and houses were being "snatched" from the people.

"They even tried to take away the employment of the chief justice of Sindh," he said, hinting at the recent series of events that transpired after the high-ranking judge refused to be alleviated to the Supreme Court.

The PPP chairman said that Imran Khan had promised to provide five million houses and 10 million jobs, but instead, houses were "demolished under the pretext of an anti-encroachment drive".

“Young people from Kashmir to Karachi are walking around with degrees in their hands but they are not getting jobs,” he said. “Even those who had jobs have been laid off in the last three years.”

Bilawal went on to say that the "PTI-IMF" deal has benefited the rich and harmed the poor, while the masses are "looking to the PPP as it always sides with the poor".

'Brought the country to the brink of disaster'

Following PM Imran Khan's August 26 speech, Bilawal had issued a similar statement, saying that due to the rising inflation, "Imran Khan snatched employment from thousands of Pakistanis".

The PPP chairman said that over the last three years, Pakistan had become "isolated from the world" because of Imran Khan's government.

“Imran Khan talks a big game but he constantly fails to perform. He can no longer fool the people with bold statements,” said the PPP chairman.

He further said that everything stated by the prime minister "begins with him and ends with him".

"It is time he realised that in reality, everything needs to begin and end with the people of Pakistan," said Bilawal.

He went on to say that over the last three years, only "PTI mafias could benefit from the government's policies", adding that "wheat and sugar thieves" witnessed progress while the masses had to stand in queues for basic necessities, such as medicines.

"A poor man who has to check his pocket again and again before buying monthly ration knows full well about Imran Khan's performance," said Bilawal.

The PPP chairman also said that Imran Khan has "brought the country to the brink of disaster in the last three years," adding that restoring the situation may take up to a decade or so.