Govt and administration
both are “biased”
in favour of Nawaz;
says Bilawal Bhutto

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LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the three-time former prime minister is still dreaming of becoming ‘Amirul Momineen’.

In an interview with foreign media, Bilawal, who is also PPP-P’s candidate for the prime minister slot, alleged that the PML-N supremo wanted to pressurise “administration” to influence the election results.

During the interview, the PPP chairman said that the caretaker government and the administration were also “biased” in favour of Nawaz.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari 

Responding to a question, Bilawal said: “PPP’s alliance with PML-N is difficult.”

“This PML-N is no longer the party who had signed the charter of democracy. It is not the party whose slogan was ‘respect the vote’ but a PML-N [with a mentality] of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI). [Nawaz] dreams of becoming Amirul Momineen.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the Charter of Democracy (CoD) was inked by former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz in 2006 in London. One of the key points of the CoD was a joint struggle against the “dictatorship”.

The PPP stalwart, however, hoped that the caretaker government, despite PML-N’s pressure, would not interfere in the upcoming polls. He also expressed hope that the PPPP would form the next government after winning elections.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addresses a public rally in Hyderabad on February 4, 2024.

He further said that the upcoming elections should be free, fair, and transparent, adding that a level playing field should be given to all the political parties in the run-up to elections to restore the credibility of elections in the country.

Address in Hyderabad:

Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Sunday lambasted all his political rivals. In a fiery speech at a public rally in Hyderabad, Bilawal urged people to vote for “arrow” — the PPP’s election symbol— if they wanted to stop the lion, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) electoral symbol.

Stressing the need for hard work, the ex-foreign minister asked the participants: “You just get PPP won [elections]. I will handle this lion.”

Taking a dig at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) in the city, once considered the stronghold of the party, the PPP chairman advised the people that if you were asked to vote for “kite” then tell them: “[We] will not vote for those who raise anti-Pakistan slogans”.

You should say that you would rip apart the kite, he added. The PPP leader urged the people not to waste their vote by casting for any independent candidate — an apparent reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidates.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI candidates are contesting elections as independent candidates as the Supreme Court last month upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to strip of PTI’s ‘bat’ symbol after finding irregularities in the party’s intra-party elections.

Addressing the public rally, Bilawal also did not spare even Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), the party which was an ally of the PPP in the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement’s government.

He urged the participants not to vote for “Book”, the electoral symbol of JUI-F, asking them not to support those who divide the nation on a religious basis.

“I needed all the seats of Hyderabad,” he tasked his party workers.

Bilawal thanked the people for electing PPP during the recent local body elections in the city and said: “There will be a rain of arrows on February 8.”

The PPP leader urged the masses to bury the politics of hatred and division with the power of vote.

Moving on to the PML-N, Bilawal said another party in the federation was doing the politics of hatred and division.

In a veiled dig at PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, the PPP leader said that he wanted to return to power for the fourth time by hook or by crook.

Slamming the PML-N leadership, Bilawal said that they did not understand people’s problems, adding that they just wanted to rule the country for the fourth time.

Asif Zardari:

Former president and co-chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Zardari has said that resolving the public problems always remained top priority of PPP and it paid special heed towards highlighting the social development work.

While addressing a public gathering in Talagang on Sunday, he promised the people a chance to earn money in Pakistan instead of going abroad. Asif Ali Zardari said we will give you the chance to earn here adding that he would give them their due agricultural earnings.

He highlighting how he served the people during his tenure said that the PPP always paid heed to the voice of the poor. “We made a card in the name of Benazir Bhutto to help poor women,” he pointed out.

The PPP co-chairman said that he was aware that the people of Talagang needed water, infrastructure, passport offices, and also a place to visit the commissioner and his deputy. “The love you showed me for two days will never be forgotten,” he vowed.

Earlier, Asif Ali Zardari said that the PPP could enter in alliance with any party after elections. In an informal conversation with journalists, Zardari said that he was working on a strategy for Bilawal Bhutto to become prime minister of the country.

“It has been decided that the party that will win the majority, will be offered first opportunity to form its government,” PPP co-chairman said. “The independents would become important for all parties,” Zardari said.