• Hanif Abbasi said PPP’s performance has always been “zero”
• He said PPP has nothing to offer slogan of “Zinda Hai Bhutto”
• Hasan Murtaza challenged Hanif Abbasi to a debate

RAWALPINDI: The differences between former allies – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Peoples Party (PPP) became apparent when leaders of both parties traded barbs.

PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi has launched a tirade against the PPP, saying that the party performance has always been “zero” and it has nothing to offer than a hollow slogan of “Zinda Hai Bhutto [Bhutto is alive]”.

Addressing a press conference, 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. “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,”

He said Nawaz Sharif saved the nation thrice and will once again rewrite history. He said the nation’s development and progress in Balochistan is due to the efforts of Nawaz Sharif.

The statement comes against the backdrop of growing differences between the two parties — which were part of the Shehbaz Sharif-led ruling coalition in the Centre — mainly on elections.

In response, PPP leader Hasan Murtaza strongly objected to the vitriol 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 adding that bowing down to dictators is engrained in PML-N’s DNA.

“Bhutto Shaheed was alive, and will remain alive,” he exclaimed. He said Nawaz Sharif tried to take shelter behind Bhutto Shaheed when in trouble.

“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 founder 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 of themselves but not of their leadership, especially Z.A. Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.

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