Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari showed a good gesture by visiting Kot Lakhpat jail to inquire about the health of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif despite the fact that both parties have bitter political history. After the meeting, Bilawal Bhutto asked the government to ensure provision of medical facilities to ailing Nawaz Sharif of his own choice. The PPP chairman insisted that it was completely a non-political meeting as he had only come there to inquire after Nawaz Sharif following speculations regarding his health condition.
According to media reports, Bilawal maintained that injustice should not be done with any prisoner and that it is government’s responsibility to provide medical facilities to all ailing prisoners on humanitarian basis. A person, who is suffering from cardiac disease, should not be pressurised as it comes under the category of torture. High-ups should become humans before being rulers, he said. Slain Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif signed Charter of Democracy in 2006 and it is the joint failure of Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz that they could not completely implement the political pact, he said.
Bilawal said reports about Nawaz searching for a deal or wanting to go to London is in fact people spreading rumours against him. Nawaz reportedly told Bilawal that he is in high spirits and that imprisonment cannot shatter his determination. Bilawal reportedly assured Nawaz that he cannot be held in prison for a long time and that the next meeting with him will he held outside the prison. Both leaders reportedly discussed elections, government’s role and the Charter of Democracy. Bilawal also said that both political parties had not focused on judicial reformation to remove black laws of dictatorship-era despite agreeing to run the national system under democracy. He said that the PPP will initiate efforts to bring all political parties on the same platform for complete implementation of the Charter of Democracy. The Government should ensure best medical facilities to Nawaz Sharif and should avoid politicizing the matter. It seems the visit will provide some relief to ailing Nawaz Sharif and also will give political benefits to Bilawal Bhutto.Although the prime objective the Bilawal’s visit was to enquire about the health of Nawaz Sharif but it seems it will create lasting impacts in prevailing political scenario. The political circumstances have forced PPP and PML-N to cooperate each other on different issues. The leadership of both parties is facing cases in different courts and both are terming those cases as politically motivated. It is believed that both parties will play their due role in resolving prevailing political issues in the country.