Bilawal Bhutto predicts fall of Imran Khan's "puppet regime", recalls Benazir's warning

Marking the 12th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto by addressing a massive rally at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on Friday, December 27, Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari opined that the ruling Tehreek-I-Insaf government was crumbling.

In a massive embarrassment for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bilawal termed the current political dispensation as a “puppet regime of selected and political orphans” and recalled his mother Benazir Bhutto's warning in this regard. This was a clear reference to the Pakistani Army’s role in the elevation of Khan as the PM. 

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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari remarked, "These are the same political orphans Benazir warned you about. Look at how they conduct their politics. They are cowards. "They said Mian sahab (Nawaz Sharif) will never go abroad for treatment. But Mian sahab went abroad for medical treatment. They said President (Asif Ali) Zardari will never come out of jail. He is out of jail now too.”  

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'Not the independence that Jinnah gave us'

On this occasion, Bilawal highlighted the achievements of Benazir Bhutto. Recalling how she beat all odds to become the first female head of a State of a Muslim country, he lamented that Pakistan was far from achieving the goals envisaged by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Benazir Bhutto. Furthermore, the PPP chairperson appealed to the people to help oust the Imran Khan-led “puppet” government. 

The PPP chairperson said, "You (people) are witness that they (political rivals) used to say a woman can never be the prime minister of a Muslim country. You saw how she became the first female head of state of a Muslim country. This is not the independence that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah gave us."

"We will build the Pakistan that Benazir envisaged for you.” Appealing for people’s help to oust the "government of selected and political orphans", he noted, "The people's rule cannot be established without the PPP.” 

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The discontent against Imran Khan

The Opposition’s discontent stems from the 2018 General Election in Pakistan that was allegedly rigged before and on the counting day at the behest of the military establishment. Polling agents of various parties were reportedly thrown out during the counting process, thus casting doubts on the legitimacy of the victory of Khan’s party.

Also, just a few days before the election, former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz who were leading the campaign for civilian supremacy were sentenced by an Accountability court on the charges of corruption. Furthermore, Khan's regime has witnessed the incarceration of key opposition leaders including Shehbaz Sharif, former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Bilawal's father Asif Ali Zardari and so forth. 

(With ANI inputs)

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