No-confidence motion 'very important first step to right wrongs of past': PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

• PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari believes answer to Pakistan’s problem is "democracy, democracy, and more democracy".
• Bilawal says during Imran Khan’s govt “fundamental constitutional structure” that gives Pakistanis freedom was "undermined".
• Says unless there is political and democratic freedoms Pakistan cannot make progress in achieving economic rights of its citizens.

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that bringing the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan to oust him from power was a “very important first step to right the wrongs of the past” but warned that there is a long road ahead.

“This was a very important first step to right the wrongs of the past but we have a long road ahead of us,” Bilawal said in an interview with BBC.

The BBC had asked the PPP chairman about the economic problems and whether his party’s alliance with the PML-N would last long and help heal the wounds.

“I believe the answer to Pakistan’s problem is democracy, democracy, and more democracy,” said Bilawal.

The PPP chairman shared that following his mother’s assassination in 2007, the country’s democracy had made “immense progress for the proceeding 10 years”.

However, he said that during Imran Khan’s government in the last three years the “fundamental constitutional structure” that gives Pakistanis freedom was "undermined".

“And we believe unless you have political and democratic freedoms we can’t progress in achieving the economic rights of our people,” said Bilawal.

On the elections for the prime minister that are scheduled to take place tomorrow, Bilawal confirmed to the BBC that the PPP will support PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif.

“The reason my party led the effort to bring a no-confidence motion in Parliament was not just to elect Mr Shahbaz Sharif. Our motivation is to conduct electoral reforms and move towards a more democratic Pakistan after suffering under three years of a government that we contend came to power through a rigged election,” said Bilawal.

When asked to confirm if he will become the next foreign minister, Bilawal refused to answer it.

“My goal in this struggle was to bring progress in Pakistan’s democracy to ensure electoral reforms and undo the damage that was done to our Constitution, democratic systems, to human rights, to media freedom to economic rights over the last three years,” explained Bilawal on supporting the no-confidence motion.

Imran Khan loses no-confidence vote

A day earlier, in a historic first for Pakistan, Imran Khan was ousted as the prime minister of Pakistan from office through a no-confidence motion after the NA debated on the matter for more than 12 hours and the political situation in the country took a critical turn Saturday night.

The session was chaired by Ayaz Sadiq — a member of the panel of chairs — after speaker Asad Qasier resigned from his post.

"174 members have recorded their votes in favour of the resolution, consequently the resolution for the vote on no-confidence against Mr Imran Khan, the prime minister of Pakistan, has been passed by a majority," Ayaz Sadiq announced after the process of voting was completed.

Once the voting was concluded and the result was announced, Opposition leaders delivered their victory speeches. The session then was adjourned till Monday.