Our Correspondent
Sukkur
PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has slammed the PTI-led government for enacting a “secret” ordinance to “facilitate” Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.
The development comes a day after Pakistan had provided the Indian spy consular access for a second time and after the diplomats left without meeting him, Pakistan decided Friday to provide consular access for a third time.
The ordinance the PPP chair was referring to is The International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance 2020 that had been enacted on May 20 after the International Court of Justice’s decision to allow Jadhav to appeal for mercy.
Under the ordinance, a review petition may be submitted to the Islamabad High Court within 60 days of the ordinance coming into effect. The 60-day time limit ends on July 19. Jadhav had been offered the chance on June 17, 2020, but he had refused to avail it.
“The ordinance was introduced to facilitate Kulbushan. Despite the expiry of the ordinance’s time period and the regular meetings of the Senate and National Assembly, it was never presented [in the House],” Bilawal said, while addressing a press conference in Sukkur on Friday.
The PPP chair demanded that PTI inform the nation as to why the ordinance was not presented in either, the Lower or the Upper House.
Bilawal, calling for the government’s accountability in the matter, warned that “this will not be forgiven” and that it was another reason for the incumbent premier to step down from his position.
“Had the PPP introduced such an ordinance, the media would have made our lives miserable and the Difa-e-Pakistan Council would have staged a sit-in in Islamabad,” he said.
Calling it an unprecedented move, Bilawal said that the government should have at least consulted the Opposition even if was forced into the decision.
“This government should have asked the people and sought their permission,” he said, adding: “[Jadhav] had accepted that he was spying in Pakistan.”
The PPP chair said that PTI had apprised the people of its party policy before coming into power. “Today when people are fighting for their lives, the government is enacting an ordinance for Kulbhushan behind our backs.”
Talking about incarcerated PPP leader Khursheed Shah, he said that the party stalwart had strived for democracy and the rule of law his entire life.