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Journalism of Courage
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has slammed its chief Benazir Bhutto over the recent pact with President Pervez Musharraf and alleged that the former Prime Minister struck the deal only for her personal financial gains.
“She just wants her money back and is not interested in the party or its future,” The News reported here today, quoting a senior PPP leader as saying. He said party workers were offended with Bhutto’s Abu Dhabi meeting with Musharraf.
According to the leader, Bhutto and her husband’s frozen wealth, including both inland and offshore bank accounts and assets, is worth $1.5 billion. This has also been confirmed by National Accountability Bureau insiders probing cases against her.
Though the party leaders’ are refraining from speaking against Bhutto, they have expressed their unhappiness over the deal. “The party Chairperson has put on sale its repute and standing for her personal financial gains,” the daily quoted another leader, without naming him.
However, refuting allegations that Bhutto has taken political somersaults, PPP spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said, “There is no change in the party’s stand on the restoration of democracy.” Babar added that the assessment about Bhutto’s wealth was just a figment of imagination and a vicious propaganda against the party leadership. He said that during the hey days of former PM Nawaz Sharif’s aide Saifur Rehman had talked of $1.5 billion assets of Bhutto but she had questioned the claim”.
