Omar Ayub slams PPP leadership, accuses govt of corruption and failure
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub during a press conference in Islamabad on February 17, 2025. SCREENGRAB
Listen to article
In a press conference on Monday, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub criticised the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its leadership, particularly President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto.
He accused them of having broken records for corruption in Sindh and claimed that both Zardari and Bilawal were selling Sindh's water.
Ayub expressed his disapproval of the current government, led by the PPP, and denounced President Zardari, stating, "Zardari calls himself the president, but we do not recognise this installed government. Zardari did not say anything worthwhile today."
He continued, 'The PPP has broken records for corruption in Sindh. Whether it is Asif Zardari or Bilawal Bhutto, both are selling the province's water. The government has been involved in supporting the controversial PECA (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act) with Form 47. There is a gang of notorious criminals in Punjab, with Dr. Usman at the helm. The current government has failed economically."
Ayub also criticised the government's handling of the economy, stating that corruption had reached unprecedented levels.
He further remarked, "They are celebrating a reduction in inflation, but come, walk with us and see if inflation has actually gone down or increased. In the last two years, the Special Investment Facilitation Council has achieved zero results, and our questions remain unanswered. The IT sector has been decimated, and there is no foreign investment."
The opposition leader also raised concerns about security in Balochistan, stating, 'There is no security arrangement in various districts of Balochistan. Due to negligence, our soldiers are sacrificing their lives. The founding leader of PTI has always said that the army belongs to us, yet today, Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are embroiled in fake cases."
He continued to highlight the current state of the nation, saying, 'Our leaders and workers are political prisoners. Twenty million youth have left the country, and $27 billion has been sent abroad."
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also addressed President Zardari's speech, stating, "Today, we saw Zardari's legacy behind Benazir Bhutto's picture. In his speech, Zardari failed to prove that there is democracy in the country. Zardari did not pass by the opposition chambers and is still a controversial president."
He added, "Our protest, as seen today, will continue. Decisions are being made outside the parliament, and the house is not being given priority. We have already stated that the assembly is incomplete, and this should be acknowledged."
Also speaking at the press conference, Opposition Leader in the Senate, Senator Shibli Faraz, condemned the passage of laws in the Senate, stating that they lacked both moral and legal legitimacy. "The Senate is not even representative of all provinces," he said, adding, "How can elections take place and bills be passed without the representation of one province?"
The opposition's leaders continued to express their discontent with the government's approach to governance and the ongoing political situation in Pakistan. They stressed the need for a more accountable and transparent system, along with fair representation and economic reforms to address the country's growing challenges.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Trump says Musk relationship over, warns of ‘serious consequences' if he funds Democrats
BEDMINSTER: Donald Trump said on Saturday his relationship with his billionaire donor Elon Musk is over and warned there would be 'serious consequences' if Musk funds U.S. Democrats running against Republicans who vote for the president's sweeping tax and spending bill. In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump declined to say what those consequences would be, and went on to add that he had not had discussions about whether to investigate Musk. Asked if he thought his relationship with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO was over, Trump said, 'I would assume so, yeah.' 'No,' Trump told NBC when asked if he had any desire to repair his relationship with Musk. 'I have no intention of speaking to him,' Trump said. However, Trump said he had not thought about terminating U.S. government contracts with Musk's StarLink satellite internet or SpaceX rocket launch companies. Trump deploys National Guard as Los Angeles protests against immigration agents continue Musk and Trump began exchanging insults this week, as Musk denounced Trump's bill as a 'disgusting abomination.' Musk's opposition to the measure complicated efforts to pass the legislation in Congress, where Republicans hold only slim majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate. The bill narrowly passed the House last month and is now before the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans are considering making changes. Nonpartisan analysts estimate the measure would add $2.4 trillion to the $36.2 trillion U.S. debt over 10 years, which worries many lawmakers, including some Republicans who are fiscal hawks. Musk also declared it was time for a new political party in the United States 'to represent the 80% in the middle!' Trump said on Saturday he is confident the bill would get passed by the U.S. July 4 Independence Day holiday. 'In fact, yeah, people that were, were going to vote for it are now enthusiastically going to vote for it, and we expect it to pass,' Trump told NBC. Republicans have strongly backed Trump's initiatives since he began his second term as president on January 20. While some Republican lawmakers have made comments to the news media expressing concern about some of Trump's choices, they have yet to vote down any of his policies or nominations. Deleted Musk Posts Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Trump, including one that signaled support for impeaching the president, appearing to seek a de-escalation of their public feud, which exploded on Thursday. During his first term as president, the House, then controlled by Democrats, twice voted to impeach Trump but the Senate both times acquitted him. The White House and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday on the deleted posts. People who have spoken to Musk said his anger has begun to recede and they thought he would want to repair his relationship with Trump. One of the X posts that Musk appeared to have deleted was a response to another user posting: 'President vs Elon. Who wins? My money's on Elon. Trump should be impeached and (Vice President) JD Vance should replace him.' Musk had written 'yes.' On Theo Von's 'This Past Weekend' podcast - recorded on Thursday as the feud between Trump and Musk unfolded and released on Saturday - Vance called Musk's criticism of Trump a 'huge mistake.' 'I'm always going to be loyal to the president, and I hope that eventually Elon kind of comes back into the fold. Maybe that's not possible now because he's gone so nuclear. But I hope it is,' said Vance, describing Musk as an 'incredible entrepreneur.' Trump is due to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight card on Saturday in New Jersey. Since his second election win, he has attended two previous UFC mixed martial arts fight cards with Musk. Musk is not expected to attend on Saturday. Trump says 'very disappointed' by Musk criticism Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, spending nearly $300 million in last year's U.S. elections and taking credit for Republicans retaining a majority of seats in the House and retaking a majority in the Senate. Trump named Musk to head an effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending, lauding him at the White House only about a week ago for his work as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk cut only about half of 1% of total spending, far short of his brash plans to axe $2 trillion from the federal budget.
Business Recorder
19 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Bilawal urges India to end ‘excuses', resume dialogue with Pakistan
Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday urged India to move beyond what he termed 'repetitive excuses' and engage in meaningful dialogue with Pakistan to address long-standing bilateral issues. Speaking at a press conference in Washington following a series of meetings with US lawmakers, policy experts and think tanks, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman criticized New Delhi's reluctance to resume talks, saying it was counterproductive to regional peace. 'India continues to evade efforts for dialogue and investigations. The excuses vary, be it civil-military dynamics, geopolitics, or blanket narratives linking Muslims with terrorism, but they all serve the same purpose: avoidance,' Bilawal said. Bilawal Bhutto warns of escalating water disputes with India, calls for diplomatic engagement 'It's not sustainable for two nuclear-armed neighbours with such low conflict thresholds to lack any structured dispute resolution mechanism.' The former foreign minister is part of a high-level Pakistani delegation currently visiting key Western capitals as part of a diplomatic outreach initiative aimed at presenting Islamabad's stance on recent tensions with India. The delegation, which includes senior political figures and former diplomats, will also visit London and Brussels in the coming days. Alongside Bilawal, the group includes former foreign ministers Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir Khan, Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt, as well as seasoned diplomats Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua. Bilawal emphasized that Pakistan's civil and military leadership are united in their stance against terrorism, and that dialogue with India is essential for regional stability. He reiterated Islamabad's openness to talks at both political and military levels. 'If India truly seeks peace, it must be willing to engage, whether through direct talks or through mediation by international stakeholders,' he said. 'Unfortunately, New Delhi has rejected all options, be it engagement through the UN, third-party mediation, or bilateral diplomacy.' He further stressed that reversing decisions that have escalated tensions would be a constructive step forward. 'It is in everyone's interest, including India's, to revisit policies that have only led to a diplomatic freeze and increased hostility.' The Pakistani delegation's engagement in Washington is seen as part of a broader attempt to counter India's expanding diplomatic footprint and narrative, particularly in Western capitals.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
'PTI's protest movement is ineffective' says Rana Sanaullah
Listen to article Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Public and Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's protest call won't bear fruit as the party is not in a position to lead any such movement at the moment. Speaking to the media after offering Eid al-Adha prayers in Faislabad, the SAPM said Pakistan is now on the path to economic stability and development, but overcoming existing challenges requires national unity, political consensus, and alignment on an economic agenda, which he called the most urgent need of the time. He said Pakistan is transitioning from economic decline toward economic stability — a dream of the country's founding fathers. He added that thanks to national unity and courageous decisions by the political leadership, Pakistan is once again on a path of development. He revealed that India made an unjustified and arrogant attempt to attack Pakistan last month, but armed forces, with the backing of the people, delivered a strong response and shattered the enemy's arrogance. He said that the ongoing military operation, 'Bunyan-un-Marsoos', being carried out in the name of justice, has achieved historic success, and Pakistan has emerged before the world as a strong nuclear power. Read: FO slams Modi's 'unfounded' allegations on Pahalgam attack He extended congratulations to Field Marshal General Asim Munir and every soldier involved, saying they all deserve recognition for this success. Sanaullah said that under the leadership of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan has stepped onto the path of economic growth. He once again called on PTI and all political parties to come together for the country's betterment and agree on the Charter of Economy, just as the entire nation had shown unity and consensus between May 6 and May 10. He stressed that politics can wait — what's most important is fixing the economy, especially since 240 million Pakistanis are struggling with inflation and economic pressures. He appealed to opposition leaders to accept the Prime Minister's invitation and agree on the formation of a neutral Election Commission so that the next general elections are free and fair, leaving no room for objection. The adviser said that Pakistan has earned respect and recognition at the global level — countries that once distanced themselves are now compelled to listen. He warned that if political leaders continue to prioritise personal or group interests, it will go against national interest. He urged the public to put pressure on political parties to put the nation first. Commenting on PTI's protest movement, Rana Sanaullah said the movement is ineffective because the party lacks both preparation and public support. He further criticised Imran Khan, saying that if the former Prime Minister ties his release to the country's economic progress, it would be an injustice to the nation. Speaking on India's intentions, he responded to a question saying that the Modi government is following the RSS's extremist agenda and is hostile toward both Pakistan and Muslims. Read more: Pakistan launches diplomatic offensive against India He assured that India would not dare attack again, although efforts to destabilise Pakistan through terrorism would likely continue. He added that while the military has fulfilled its duties, it is now the responsibility of the political leadership to unite for national development. He claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is taking the upcoming local government elections seriously and will participate actively under the new Local Government Act. He confirmed that these elections will be held on a party basis. Sanaullah also said that the Punjab government is working on welfare schemes such as the Kisan Card, Mazdoor Card, and Mazoor Card to improve the quality of life for ordinary citizens. He concluded by noting that major national projects, including Pakistan's nuclear tests, were completed during PML-N's tenure, and that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is now stepping forward with a new vision of public service.
