Pakistan People’s Party Chairnman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Sunday vowed to appeal against a Supreme Court verdict that declared a PPP-era law unconstitutional and illegal, saying that “no one can snatch away jobs given by the parliament”.
Under the PPP-era Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Ordinance Act (SERA) 2010 law, a number of people had been employed or given promotions who had been forcibly sacked from various institutions and departments by successive governments during 1996 and 2007.
The SC, however, found that the SERA extended the undue advantage to a certain class of citizens, thereby violating fundamental rights under Articles 4, 9 and 25 and being void under Article 8 of the Constitution.
Earlier this month, PPP had appealed to the Supreme Court to review its verdict that declared SERA 2010 illegal and unconstitutional.
In his address today to a worker’s convention in the city, Bilawal said that PPP will provide relief to all those people from whom jobs have been snatched, reported Geo News.
Speaking of the three-year performance of the PTI government, he said: “Prime Minister Imran Khan is celebrating three years of destruction in Islamabad.”
Bilawal said that in these last three years, unemployment and poverty “reached their peak”.
“When one province suffers, it is painful for all other provinces,” he added, referring to Sindh being sidelined by the Centre.
He recalled how Benazir Bhutto “aimed to create employment opportunities for the people of Pakistan”.
“Benazir Bhutto provided jobs to 16,000 households and Imran Khan took away jobs from all those people,” he said.
“The selected prime minister promised to create one million job opportunities, however, instead of providing jobs he took away jobs from the people who were already employed,” he added
Bilawal said that because of PM Imran Khan, 10,000 employees of Pakistan Steel Mills were abandoned and their households had to suffer.
“We ask Imran Khan what he is doing to employ the people of Pakistan, as millions of youngsters have lost their jobs during these last three years,” the PPP chairman said.
Shedding further light on Imran Khan’s “unfulfilled” promises, he said: “The prime minister promised to construct five million houses. I ask him is Khairpur not a part of Pakistan? How many houses have been constructed in Khairpur so far?”
He claimed that in Sindh, five million people lost their jobs.
“People of all provinces have lost their jobs,” he added.
“As youngsters suffer because of unemployment under the rule of all other political parties, Pakistan Peoples’ Party will make sure it creates jobs for the youngsters,” he promised.
“We will not tolerate any injustice. The water crisis (in Sindh) should be resolved fairly, or else we will conduct protests across the country as announced in Hyderabad earlier,” the PPP chairman said.
Concluding his speech, Bilawal said: “We need the support of all jiyalas (loyalists) across Pakistan. Because when jiyalas come out they fight for their rights no matter what era they are in.”
“We trusted many friends but all of them cheated us,” he said.
“Now PPP’s jiyalas are enough. We will stand on our own feet and do our own politics,” the PPP chairman added.
Separately, former prime minister and Leader of Opposition in Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would start a mobilization campaign of party workers in South Punjab from September 03.
Talking to media persons at his Multan’s residence on Sunday, he said that the schedule of Bilawal Bhutto has been confirmed which was earlier postponed due to certain reasons.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that PPP Chairman would reach Multan on September 3 and would leave for Rahim Yar Khan on September 7 and then to Sindh on September 9.
During his visit to South Punjab, the party chairman would meet different people and party workers to mobilize them, he added.
He said that PPP was regaining support not only in South Punjab but also across the country due to its public-friendly ideology.
The Senate opposition leader said that the party leadership rendered sacrifices for the country.
Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto given the constitution to the country in 1973 which was accepted by all political parties, he added.
He said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto signed a charter of democracy for strengthening democracy in the country.
Gilani said that Pakistan People’s Party had passed 104 amendments in the constitution during its tenure in 2008 and implemented the 1973 constitution in its real form.
He said that political stability was a must for economic stability in the country adding that there was not even a signal political prisoner during his tenure as prime minister.
The former prime minister urged the government to fulfill its pledge regarding the establishment of South Punjab as a separate province.
He said that Kashmir was an essential part of Pakistan and added that PPP stands by the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Gilani said that Modi’s government could not defeat the struggle for the independence of Kashmiris through torture.
He lauded the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people for their struggle for self-determination and said that the people of IIOJ&K would get their independence soon.
To a question, Gilani said that the Pakistan Democratic Moment was started after consensus among all opposition parties adding that the Pakistan People’s Party was not in favor of resignation from the parliament.
He said that the decision of rejoining PDM would be made by the Central Executive Committee of the party, not by any individual.
Responding to another question about the ongoing situation of Afghanistan, he said that 3.5 million Afghan refugees were living in Pakistan since the Soviets attacked Afghanistan in 1979 adding that United States and other countries seemed to have forgotten it.
Gilani went on to say that like others, PPP was also in favor of sustainable peace in Afghanistan adding that the party was monitoring the situation and also the statements of the Taliban.
He maintained that all countries should develop a consensus on the Afghan issue to ensure peace in the region. He also spoke about the protection of basic rights, women’s education, and minorities’ rights there.
Gilani further stated that he demanded a joint session in the senate to discuss the ongoing situation in Afghanistan. He also lauded the government for successful evacuation operation in Afghanistan which was also being acknowledged by the world.
He said that Pakistan People’s Party was regaining public support and various people were ready to join PPP.
With additional input from INP
