Pakistan’s Bilawal says time for decisive action against terrorists

Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has called for a decisive action against terrorists saying the time for dialogue has ended.

By Afzal Khan

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Published: Wed 29 Jan 2014, 9:23 PM

Last updated: Tue 25 Aug 2020, 1:07 PM

“I think we have exhausted the option of (peace) talks,” Bilawal said while speaking to BBC’s Lyce Doucet in an interview about talks with the Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP).
He added that the national consensus to hold peace talks that was built had been squandered by politicians who used ‘this is America’s war’ as an excuse to “hide their cowardice” (an apparent reference to Imran Khan).
Bilawal remarked that the politicians of the country were “confusing the nation on purpose because they are scared.” He called for all the political parties to unite against the threat posed by the TTP.
“I want to eliminate the Taleban from Pakistan,” he said while adding that the attacks by the TTP were not just confined to North Waziristan.
“They have been attacking us in Karachi.”
When asked by Doucet about entering active politics, Bilawal stated, “I didn’t have ambitions for politics but now when I’m here in my country and I see the state of my country I just feel like I want to play some role, any role I can.”
He added that his aim is the 2018 elections, further stating that he does not want to start at the top but wants to “focus on party politics and work with the grass roots with every level of the party across the country.” Expressing concerns about the dangers of politics he said that “politics is a deadly and dangerous game. I have seen my mother (former prime minister Benazir Bhutto) bury her brothers.”
When Doucet remarked that Pakistan is a country that people fear, the patron-in chief of PPP said that “the face of Pakistan should not be (Al Qaeda leader) Osama bin Laden or the terrorists who murder us on a daily basis. It should be the face of those heroes who stand up to them and give this country hope.”
“This country is full of hope not fear. It is the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who stands up to the Taleban and says that we fight you,” Bilawal further stated, taking a positive spin on the image of Pakistan.
news@khaleejtimes.com


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