Alliance with PTI impossible before elections: Bilawal

PPP chairman refers to Nawaz Sharif as a propaganda expert

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday said an alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was not possible before the upcoming general elections.

Addressing a press conference in Mandi Bahauddin, the PPP scion said, "We want security for everyone during elections. Even when there is violence, it doesn’t mean we postpone elections," Bilawal said. "Even Afghanistan and Iran conduct elections."



"Imran Khan expressed his own wishes to delay elections, but I don’t see any reason to do so," Bilawal said, adding that there is no constitutional clause calling for delayed elections." The PPP chairman also called for the eradication of politics of hatred. "We need to ensure that the youth don't get effected by these politics."

Bilawal also condemned the attack on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

Commenting on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Bilawal said that ousted premier Nawaz Sharif is a propaganda expert. "Even after the Panama case, he went on passing odd remarks everywhere he went," the PPP leader added.

"PPP members are in jail but no member of the PML-N is in jail. Their propaganda will not be successful," said the PPP leader. "This region doesn't belong to a single man. Bahauddin is the main constituency of the PPP."

Iqbal survived an assassination attempt in his home constituency during a corner meeting at the hands of a 23-year-old man on Sunday evening. A bullet hit Iqbal’s right arm from a 30-bore pistol from at least 15 yards.



Doctors said that the minister was out of danger and in a stable condition. He underwent medical treatment at the Lahore Services Hospital. The accused, Abid Hussain, a resident of Kanjror, a village in Tehsil Shakargarh, opened fire at Iqbal just before he stepped inside his vehicle after addressing at Kanjror.

Hussain, who was overpowered and disarmed by security guards before he could fire another shot, was later handed over to police. Later, the suspect was shifted to an unidentified location for interrogation.