Azma Bukhari attacks PPP record in Sindh

LAHORE:

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on Sunday responded strongly to remarks by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Inam Memon, accusing the party of focusing its politics on criticising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) instead of highlighting its own performance.

In a statement, Bukhari said every PPP leader appeared to have made it a point to target the PML-N wherever they want. She questioned whether the PPP leadership had any achievements from its 17-year rule in Sindh to present before the public.

Referring to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, she said that had the PPP been serious about the electoral contest, party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would not have cancelled his scheduled public meetings.

Bukhari alleged that Bilawal had cancelled the rallies to overcome the embarrassment of his previous public gathering. Criticising the PPP's conduct, she said a party that had remained in power in one province for 17 years and allegedly caused opposition candidates to disappear was in no position to question who had won elections.

The Punjab minister also questioned why the PPP was upset over the provision of electric buses and 'Clinics on Wheels' for the people of Azad Kashmir. She said the PPP had failed to provide a transport system in Sindh despite ruling the province for 17 years, whereas Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had introduced electric bus services across Punjab within 18 months.

Bukhari said the benefits of Maryam Nawaz's development initiatives were not limited to Punjab, adding that children from Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir had also been provided laptops and scholarships.

She said that the PPP objected whenever relief measures were extended to the people of Punjab or Azad Kashmir and asked the party to clearly state what its actual issue was.