Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the PPP chief advised the PTI “not to make matters worse” terming the protests “completely unjustified.”

 

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Calls for an End to Violent Protests Following Imran Khan’s Arrest.

Live: Chairman PPP and FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressing a press conference at MCBH Karachi. https://t.co/Fvabmx8MlY— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) May 11, 2023

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for an end to violent protests that erupted in Pakistan following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan two days ago. During a press conference in Karachi, Bhutto urged the PTI to “not make matters worse,” stating that the protests were “completely unjustified” and had created a scenario that necessitated serious conversations.

The PPP chairman further emphasized that the individuals involved in violence will be held accountable.

FM urged the PTI to refrain from making matters worse and to “call for an end to violent protests and declare that you will abide by the rule of law and Constitution.”

He also called on the PTI to accept that they would engage with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as citizens and not terrorists.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that he was “principally opposed to the banning of any political party,” he noted that such decisions were made in view of the circumstances.

He added that any organization that carried out terrorist activities like those carried out during the recent protests would have had to face the consequences.

FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stressed that the government had shown extreme restraint and did not respond violently, which, he believed, spoke to the transition that Pakistan was in at the moment.

He maintained that if the PTI was interested in remaining a political party, it would have called for peaceful protests.

The foreign minister expressed his disappointment with the outcome of the dialogue between political parties and lamented that they had failed to build consensus due to many reasons.

However, he stressed that the government must remain mindful that the prevailing political crisis does not negatively impact democracy in Pakistan.

Bhutto also noted that the allegations against Imran Khan were severe, and the PTI had crossed the line in its protests. He asserted that it was the responsibility of the state and its institutions to implement law and order under the Constitution.

The PPP chairman expressed his opposition to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and ideologically believed that it should be shut down. He stated that the Charter of Democracy included the closure of NAB from 2008 to 2013. Imran Khan set that aside and started a campaign to save NAB, according to Bhutto. He stressed that if politicians were arrested, then it was the political sphere that suffered, and the PPP was never the one to celebrate such an event.

Finally, Bhutto reiterated his party’s commitment to holding elections on time and warned that the government must remain mindful of the political crisis’s potential negative impact on democracy in Pakistan.