PPP Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza has said that while the PPP is an ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, it is not “deaf and dumb” and will continue to highlight public issues and party reservations forcefully.

He said the PPP had always pursued politics based on principles and focused on resolving public issues, adding that there could be no compromise on either matter.

“We entered into an alliance with PML-N to protect democracy and ensure the stability of the country, and we have paid a heavy political price for it,” he said. “We are not getting credit for the government’s good steps, but we are bearing the brunt of its flawed policies,” he lamented.

“That is why PPP will keep raising public issues through the media.”

Criticising the PML-N leadership, Hassan Murtaza recalled that Mir Shahnawaz Bhutto, the younger son of PPP founder chairman and executed prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, also sacrificed himself for the country.

“We resisted General Zia’s martial law and atrocities in the past, and if revenge politics is practiced today, PPP will resist that too.”

He slammed the PML-N government in Punjab, saying its performance was limited to “a few roads and photo-op projects” and it had no concrete policy to provide relief to the people.

“The situation in Punjab is before everyone. Even in Lahore, public problems are increasing instead of decreasing.”

He alleged that retaliatory cases were being registered against PPP leaders and workers in Punjab. Citing an example, he said an attempt was made to seize the land of PPP leader Asif Bashir Bhagat overnight in the presence of police. “On one hand you claim you are not doing victimisation, but ground realities say otherwise.”

Raising serious concerns over the criminal justice system, he presented statistics. “In 2024, 561 cases of domestic violence were reported across Punjab, but not a single accused was convicted. In Lahore, 5,410 cases of kidnapping of women were registered, but only 5 people were punished. In Faisalabad alone, 31 women were killed in a year, yet no one was convicted.” “What is the justice system of Punjab doing? Where does the prosecution stand that victims are not getting justice despite such serious crimes?” he asked.

On the issue of new provinces, he said: “Where there is consensus, new provinces should be created. Where there is no consensus, hold dialogue first. In a country already drowning in debt, how will we afford 30 chief ministers, 30 cabinets and 30 secretariats? The narrative of new provinces was just a ‘filler’ floated deliberately so PPP would oppose it and then be labeled anti-people.”

He further said the PPP had approached the Election Commission over alleged rigging in the recent Azad Kashmir elections and would continue its legal and political struggle against the theft of the public mandate.