‘Imran Khan has had more failures than successes’

Islamabad, Sep 3 (IANS) Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, daughter of late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari, has said that incumbent premier Imran Khan has had more failures and successes, a media report said on Tuesday.

In an exclusive interview to BBC Urdu on Monday, Aseefa said: "Imran Khan has had more failures than successes. There has been a crackdown on freedom of speech, freedom of association, human rights - these are all happening under his term."

Aseefa is the youngest amongst the three children of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari. The eldest, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is the incumbent Chairman of the opposition, Pakistan Peoples Party.

Aseefa also said that she saw a lot of of similarities between Khan's government and the dictatorship of former President Pervez Musharraf, Dawn news quoted her as saying in the interview.

She noted that Khan "has the same cabinet ministers as Musharraf had".

The 26-year-old also targeted Khan over his past promises. "He (Khan) had promised the Pakistani people that he would create 10 million jobs. However, he has yet to create a single job. He has actually created more instability and many millions of people have been laid off due to this economic instability.

"He promised he would make five million homes. He is yet to make one house and has (instead) destroyed millions (of homes).

"He promised that he would rather commit suicide than go asking other nations for aid; however, he is seen in every single country with the same begging bowl in his hand," Aseefa added.

"This is what is happening today in Imran Khan's Pakistan - u-turn after u-turn," she told BBC Urdu.

Talking about her motivation to join politics despite hardships, she said that she had lost her grandfather, her mother and said her family "had made a lot of sacrifices".

"My brother speaks for the entire Pakistan, and we will therefore continue to speak up and stand by our chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari."