Bilawal warns of repercussions if arrested by NAB

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday warned he would become an 'even bigger problem' for the government if he is arrested by the country's anti-graft watchdog.

Addressing a press conference here in the metropolis, the PPP chair refuted all corruption allegations made against him and challenged the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest him if they had the courage.

Bilawal lamented that the suppression of political activities, saying parties were being deprived of their right to freedom and politics. "There is obstruction in the running of Parliament," he said, asking why the NAB was building cases against opposition leaders but was unable to prove any crime or claim.

"They detain without proving any of the allegations they make," he added. The PPP leader commented on how "they [the NAB] could not bear constructive criticism" either.

He acknowledged that the anti-corruption body had sent him a notice and said he had presented himself to answer their questions earlier. "On what basis has the NAB summoned me on December 24? It's an illegal notice," he added.

"I have answered the NAB's set of questions," but they are engaging in character assassination of political workers, he said.

"We didn't bow to pressure earlier and we won't bow now," Bilawal said, adding that everyone knew the kind of pressure being applied and that it was not related to just one issue.

"I won't compromise on the philosophy of [former prime minister] Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and [former president Zulfikar Ali] Bhutto Shaheed.

Rejecting all allegations made against him, he said he was not afraid of being arrested; rather, he would become more dangerous if they did so.

"When I do politics, the NAB starts sending me notices. If they are courageous, they can try to arrest me. The NAB sent me a notice the day after I visited Gilgit-Baltistan.

"The chief justice of Pakistan has said I'm not involved in this case," he added. "Did any minister in the KP [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] get a notice? How do the government's ministers know someone would be arrested soon?"

The PPP chair noted that the public's problems were not being resolved but the government, instead, wished to harass people and the opposition leaders.

'The wind will blow from another direction'

"Everyone knows what I do on December 27. To commemorate my mother's death anniversary is my right," he said, stressing that he does not intend to appear in front of the NAB on December 24.

Talking about Benazir Bhutto's upcoming death anniversary, Bilawal said he would go Liaquat Bagh regardless of whether he had 72 or 72,000 people with him. "The direction of the winds will change one day," he added.

"We will commemorate Bibi Shaheed's death anniversary on December 27 in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi," he underscored. "We will go to Liaquat Bagh on December 27 no matter what!"

The incumbent leaders are not capable to lead, he added, which is why "we are unable to have laws passed".

"This puppet [the prime minister] has dishonoured us in front of the whole world. People are frustrated, they have no path forward," he stated. However, he vowed to show people their way forward in the current environment.

He also said 'puppet politicians' should know that next year is election year and that they would be "out of power" next year.