PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi apologizes for remarks against Bhutto

• Hanif Abbasi has apologized for his remarks about Z.A. Bhutto.
• He said Bhutto was a great leader who laid the foundations of the nuclear program.
• PPP leader assailed Hanif Abbasi for his remarks.

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi has apologized for his disparaging remarks about PPP founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Abbasi apologized to the PPP and said Z.A. Bhutto was a great leader who laid the foundations of the country’s nuclear program.

“The tragedy is that after Bhutto, his philosophy was not implemented effectively in terms of performance,” the PML-N leader said.

“The background of my statement was related to the performance of the PPP. I apologize if my statement offended anyone,” he clarified

Hanif Abbasi earned the ire of PPP leaders after he launched a tirade against the PPP and made remarks about Z.A. Bhutto.

Addressing a press conference, Abbasi said the PPP’s performance has always been “zero” and it has nothing to offer than a hollow slogan of “Zinda Hai Bhutto [Bhutto is alive]”.

“Bhutto is not alive. Bhutto is dead. And the PPP’s performance has always been zero,” he said. “They (PPP) have nothing to offer than slogans.”

The PML-N leader said that Nawaz Sharif gave motorways, and ended load shedding, unemployment and terrorism in the country. He said both parties will have to speak about their performance in front of the public and no electoral alliances will be made.

He said Nawaz Sharif saved the nation thrice and will once again rewrite history. He said both parties will have to speak about their performance in front of the public and no electoral alliances will be made.

In response, PPP leader Hasan Murtaza strongly objected to the remarks and challenged Hanif Abbasi to a debate on the party’s performance.

“Zia’s political descendants still hate Bhutto. Those whose leader attends Zia’s grave will spew venom against Bhutto,” he said. “Bhutto Shaheed was alive, and will remain alive,” he exclaimed.

“No politician becomes a leader by building two roads” he added. “From the atomic bomb to the Parliament, Bhutto’s name is written on every brick of Pakistan.”

“Bhutto is alive in the form of the Constitution, Bhutto gave voice to the poor, rights to workers and farmers,” he added.

Hassan Murtaza said those who leave politics after making deals every ten years do not make leaders. “Many Prime Ministers came and went, but could not become like Bhutto.”

“We thought that Hanif Abbasi was accused of selling drugs. Now it seems that he is addicted to drugs so his brain is not working,” the PPP leader said.

He challenged Hanif Abbasi to a debate on the performance of the PML-N chief versus the performance of Z.A. Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Asif Zardari, and Bilawal Bhutto.

Meanwhile, PPP leader Shazia Marri responding to Abbasi’s criticism said that the PPP wants a level playing field while the PML-N wants crutches.

“We don’t think it is fair to respond to such statements,” she said, adding that they can tolerate criticism on themselves but not their leadership, especially Z.A. Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.

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