Faryal Talpur won't contest Senate election, says Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Thursday that MNA Faryal Talpur will contest an election for Sindh Assembly, and not the Senate. Speaking on Geo News show Capital Talk, the PPP chairman refuted the reports of MNA Faryal Talpur contesting senate elections, saying it was a perfect example of fake news. ?Fake News is nothing new for us in Pakistan, especially PPP has been affected by it in the past,? Bilawal said, when asked about spread of fake news worldwide. He said that he personally believes there is a need for journalism education in the country. Senate elections Commenting on horse-trading allegations in Balochistan, Bilawal said he does not understand as to how can someone do it when he does not even have MPAs in the province. Asked about labelling of the PPP as a pro-establishment party by the opponents, the PPP chairman said their rivals are giving such excuses to hide their own failures. Performance ?We have done enough,? he said, when asked about performance of his party-led government in Sindh in recent years. ?Our biggest problem was infant mortality rate and we have reduced this by 50 per cent during the past five years.? The PPP chairman said the provincial government has been focusing on public health and has established several hospitals. ?We have been running anti-poverty programs up to union council level,? he said, explaining that poor masses are being provided interest-free loans under these programs. Questioned about Karachi garbage piles, he said the provincial government is also working on this. Bilawal said that it will take time, reiterating that the provincial government has primarily been focused on human development. Sindh police & encounters Questioned about the Sindh police and recent extrajudicial killings, the PPP chairman said he is concerned about these encounters, which have been ongoing countrywide. ?As soon as this incident happened, I immediately took notice and didn?t wait for investigation report; the government took immediate action,? he said, referring to Naqeebullah killing case. ?No just system in the world justifies encounters.? Nehal Hashmi's disqualification While speaking about Hashmi?s disqualification announced by the Supreme Court, Bilawal said he respected the court?s decision but in such cases standards should be same across the board. SC disqualifies Senator Nehal Hashmi, orders one-month jail term for contempt Supreme Court had taken notice of PML-N senator's contemptuous remarks on May 31, 2017 ?As a democrat I am uncomfortable with liberal use of contempt of court,? he said, what would become of the person who detained judges and the other who ordered an attack on the Supreme Court. ?I want the same law for everyone.? When asked if he was equating former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal replied in the affirmative.