By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has issued a stern warning against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s approach of confronting the public with force, cautioning that such a strategy will ultimately prove costly.
Speaking in a phone call with Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, PPP president in KP, Bilawal sought details about the recent unrest that unfolded during the Save the Province rally in Peshawar. Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha informed Bilawal that the KP government, visibly unsettled by what was intended as a peaceful protest, resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse demonstrators.
The violence marred a rally that had been widely praised for its organization and clear message. Expressing his condemnation of the government’s heavy-handed response, Bilawal criticized the use of force against citizens who are increasingly frustrated by issues of corruption, rising lawlessness, and rampant unemployment in the province. He underscored that such tactics only deepen public discontent rather than quell it.
Bilawal vowed that the Save the Province movement would now intensify, spreading its reach to every street and alley across KP. He labelled the provincial government under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a ‘thug government,’ asserting that its attempts to suppress the movement would ultimately fail. His remarks highlight the growing political tensions in KP, with opposition voices rallying against what they describe as authoritarian measures by the ruling party.
