Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Talal Chaudhry recently castigated the people of Pakistan for abandoning political leaders throughout history such as Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and even Imran Khan.
Chaudhry stated on Azaad Urdu’s podcast, “The people used to say that if something happened to Bhutto, the Himalayas would cry. The day Bhutto was hanged, the people went to work the next day.”
He further said, “The people told Nawaz Sharif ‘Qadam Barhao, ham tumhare saath hain’ (Step up, we are with you) and when he [Nawaz Sharif] did – he became a hijacker [Sharif’s conviction in 2000 Musharraf’s Plane Hijacking case] but people went to work.”
Similarly, he said “Then the same people claimed, ‘Imran Khan is our redline.’ He is now inside [prison] and the people are at work.”
The PML-N senator then blamed the PTI government for their past behaviour of not engaging with political leaders and opposition when they [PML-N] wanted a charter of the economy.
Social media reactions were mostly critical of senator’s views.
Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto took a dig at the PTI-led ‘opposition alliance’, stating that the group is hatching a conspiracy against Pakistan by staging protests on alleged poll rigging.
The Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman, while addressing a public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in Larkana on Sunday in connection with 45th death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, made a veiled reference to Imran Khan that he wanted to launch a PNA-II.
The Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) was a nine-party alliance launched in 1977 against the Zulifqar Ali Bhutto.
“Many forces did not believe in democracy. They used to hatch conspiracies but President Asif Ali Zardari foiled their designs,” he remarked.
The six-party alliance, led by PTI, launched the movement against the alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections.
Bilawal said that some politicians want to play with the fate of country for their “personal ego”, warning that common people would suffer the most if democracy is derailed.
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari, has called analyst Najam Sethi a “fraudster” on X, formerly Twitter, after he talked about her sister Aseefa Bhutto Zardari’s unopposed win on NA 207.
During an episode of his talk show on Samaa news, Najam Sethi went on to relate a story about Zulifqar Ali Bhutto and how he had his political opponents step down in 1977 elections because Bhutto wanted to win unopposed.
Then Sethi claimed that a similar chain of events has taken place in the by-polls in which Aseefa Bhutto won unopposed.
The seat was vacated by her father, Asif Ali Zardari, after he was elected as the president. A total of 11 individuals filed their nomination papers. Three withdrew their names from the race and seven nominations were rejected by the Returning Officer (RO).
Sethi claimed that when the reason was asked it was said, “She’s a kid, it’s scorching outside so we thought let’s get her elected unopposed, she would’ve won anyways.”
Bakhtawar Bhutto reacted furiously to a clip of the show, writing, “Actually our grandfather had him arrested for being a fraudster and clearly he’s still awfully bitter about it.”
Ever since the poor condition of animals at Karachi Zoo, particularly the ailing elephant Noor Jehan, has gone viral on social media, local and international wildlife activists have slammed authorities for neglecting their charges.
Several international activists have criticized Pakistani authorities for failing to care for Noor Jehan, sharing clips of the elephant lying on the ground. However, some tweets by international activists have ventured into the realm of racism.
CAPTURED WILDLIFE – PAKISTAN #NoorJehan ■Wild born ■Captured in #Tanzania ■Shipped to #Pakistan ■Behind bars at Karachi Zoo ■14 years on concrete ■Controlled by Bullhook. Today she lies suffering under a tree with multiple injuries. She cannot live & cannot die… pic.twitter.com/3tv1ricRhU
Wildlife activist and artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto addressed international criticism in an Instagram post, reminding critics that despite government negligence, corruption and limited facilities, it was Pakistanis who stepped up to provide resources and raised calls to shut down the zoo and provide treatment for Noor Jehan.
“In a country as poor as ours – many have poured their hearts and soul into caring for Noor Jehan. Doctors from Agha Khan are attending to her wounds as we speak. Their first non-human patient. Yes she was cruelly neglected like many of the animals in the zoo are now. But it was Pakistanis who highlighted their suffering. Form Paw Pakistan to local activists. It was Pakistanis who advocated for the animals in the zoo.
Don’t blame the mahoots who are also victims of a cruel hierarchy. Don’t blame the volunteers staying up day in and day out – sacrificing the time they could be spending with their own families.”
Foreign Minister (FM) and Chairperson Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed July 5, 1977 as “the blackest day in the history of Pakistan”. He reiterated PPP’s commitment to democracy.
On July 5, 1977, military dictator General Ziaul Haq ousted an elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto through a military coup.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the founder of the PPP and the ninth prime minister of Pakistan.
Chairman PPP and Foreign Minister @BBhuttoZardari has termed July 5, 1977 as the blackest day in the history of Pakistan; reiterating a commitment that his Party would continue to play the role of defender of the constitution, democracy, parliamentary supremacy.#5thJulyBlackDaypic.twitter.com/EFZQjc8SGG
— Pakistan Peoples Party – PPP (@PPP_Org) July 5, 2022
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry also tweeted about July 5 and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
“Today is July 5 when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown. Today’s political suffocation and situation is close to what it was back in July 5, 1977.” He added that the only difference is that the “PPP is a main player in today’s fascism’”
آج پانچ جولائ ہے جب ذولفقار علی بھٹو کا تختہ الٹا گیا، آج کی سیاسی گھٹن اور حالات پانچ جولائ 1977 کے قریب ہیں فرق یہ ہے کہ آج کی فسطائیت میں بھٹو کی پارٹی مین پلیئر ہے
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) July 5, 2022
#July5th 1977. General Zia ul Haq declared Martial Law in #Pakistan. It was notionally lifted in 1985 but remains the longest, continuous coup that completely reengineered the state, society and future of the country. It ain’t over yet. https://t.co/vu9CqOILP6
Claim: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto reached out to Pakistani students in Columbia University and NYU, both rejected to being his audience for a talk
Fact: Bilawal Bhutto never contacted Pakistani students in NYU or Columbia University and so was never rejected by him
On May 27, Shandana Gulzar Khan, a former PTI MNA made a tweet claiming that she has been told by “a person in a sensitive post”, that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached out to Pakistani students at Columbia University and New York University, requesting them to arrange a talk with him but both organizations refused. The thread continues onwards and claims that after these two disappointments, Bhutto asked Pakistani students at Cornell to arrange a talk with him, which they first accepted and then at the insistence of the general student body, eventually rejected as well.
This thread gathered 1,622 Likes, RTs and replies and has been shared to at least 562,647 followers on Twitter.
From a person in a sensitive post: “Billawal Bhutto team had contacted Pakistani students at Columbia University NY to arrange a lecture by him during his recent US visit. The students refused. The team then contacted Pakistani students at NY University and they also refused”
— ShandanaGulzarKhan (@ShandanaGulzar) May 27, 2022
Shandana Gulzar Khan’s tweet which refers to Bilawal Bhutto’s rejected request.
The following day, on May 28, the Pakistani Students Association at NYU and the Organization of Pakistani Students at Columbia University both made announcements on Facebook clarifying that Bilawal Bhutto never contacted them so naturally they never rejected his proposal.
To confirm with the final university, we reached out to the Pakistani students’ organization at Cornell on their Facebook page ‘Cornell University Pakistani Students Association’. They directed us to an Instagram post which clarified the same as the other two organizations.
Some Incidents have been reported regarding students harassment for having indifferent political opinions in educational institutions since the ouster of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. Pro-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) teachers are harassing students for not supporting Imran Khan and using insulting words towards their parents as well.
Some parents have shared such “harassment incidents” on Twitter their children experienced in their classrooms.
One parent said, “My son’s English teacher screamed at a couple of students in the class who responded when class was asked who doesn’t support Imran Khan. Said you and your family should be ashamed of yourselves.” The parent also questioned the school’s administration regarding the training of teachers to help them remain apolitical in classrooms.
My son’s English teacher screamed at a couple of students in the class who responded when class was asked who doesn’t support Imran Khan. Said you and your family should be ashamed of yourselves. Don’t schools coach their teachers to be apolitical in classes
The Publisher of Hello Magazine, Zahraa Saifullah has also shared about her daughter’s teacher who urged students to participate in the procession of former PM Imran Khan.
She tweeted, “[He] encouraging them to pray he comes back as PM & has banned the words Bhuttos & Sharifs in class. Why are we allowing political bias into classrooms?”
My grade 6 daughter’s teacher has been urging all the students in her class to participate in IK jalsas; encouraging them to pray he comes back as PM & has banned the words Bhuttos & Sharifs in class. Why are we allowing political bias into classrooms?
Many of the parents also shared similar incidents that happened with their children.
Another user, Usman Qazi said, “My son was subtly pressured by a teacher for the same reason yesterday. The way we tutored him, he stood his ground and responded respectfully with logical arguments. She had to give up but some fellow kids tried to berate him but he remained cool and ignored them.”
Another user penned down on Twitter to relate an experience that happened with his daughter in private school.
A famous journalist Nadeem Farooq Paracha also condemn this action and compared it to German dictator Hitler. He also raised the question that If Madrassa’s teachers can be booked for teaching bigotry then other school teachers can be booked for similar conduct.
Some users have raised the alarming consequences of such exploitation of students that can leave emotional scars on them. They emphasised that teachers should remain apolitical in classes to create a safe place for education.
