Imran Khan’s ouster progress for Pakistan’s democracy: Bilawal Bhutto

Staff Writer

Lahore: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week termed the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion as progress for Pakistan’s democracy.

Bilawal, who is also the Foreign Minister, made the remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of the Asma Jahangir Conference.

At the outset of his speech, Bilawal talked about how Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion. He stated that “false equivalence” was being given to the end of the PTI-led government and previous governments.

He termed Imran Khan’s ouster a “big victory” for the progress of Pakistan’s democracy and parliament. “Imran is the first premier to be sent packing in the form of a no-confidence motion, there is only one legitimate and democratic way to remove a prime minister and bring in another, through a no-confidence motion.”

He lamented that in the past premiers were exiled, hanged or killed in bomb blasts. “So this is progress for our democratic system that we sent a premier packing through parliament.” The minister hoped that this precedent would continue in the future.

In his speech, FM Bilawal also criticized Imran Khan for his governance, saying that the PTI chief deliberately endangered the economy on his way out. Imran Khan thought that if he endangered the economy, the people would blame his successor, he said, adding that the country was in danger of defaulting, he added.

“To play with the health of a country’s economy, to play Russian roulette with the country’s economy was an injustice with the people of Pakistan,” the FM said.

FM Bilawal also talked about the devastating floods in the country, terming it to be a “climate catastrophe, the likes of which we’ve never seen”.

“The cameras have gone. There are no more viral videos on social media. But our brothers and sisters are still suffering,” he said, adding that some parts of Sindh and Balochistan were still under water.