Bilawal accuses Nawaz of snatching electoral symbols

PPP chief says ex-PM instructing arrests of rivals from comfort of his home

DADU:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari launched a scathing critique against his main political adversary, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif.

In a campaign address infused with electoral metaphors, Bilawal referenced the parties' symbols for the upcoming Feb 8 vote.

Addressing an election rally in Dadu, Bilawal accused Nawaz of orchestrating the arrests of political opponents, and the snatching of their election symbols from the comfort of his home, to ensure his victory in the elections without putting in any effort.

Nawaz entered the election fray with the goal of becoming the prime minister for the fourth time. But Bilawal took a dig at him, asking why a person, who had failed three times in the past, be given a fourth term when he had no plan to redress people’s problems.

"This tiger [PML-N’s electoral symbol] is dreaming of becoming the prime minister for the fourth time, who sucks the blood of the people, and from the safety of his home, orchestrates the arrests of opponents and snatching of their electoral symbol,” he said.

“We do not believe that a person who has failed three times as the prime minister should be made the PM for the fourth time. Even if this tiger got the government for the fourth time, he does not know how to fight poverty. Tiger or any other party, they have no plans,” he added.

Bilawal told the crowd that this time around, the elections were a direct contest between the tiger and the arrow – the electoral symbol of his PPP-Parliamentarians.

“I urge you, do not waste your votes on anyone, vote only for the arrow,” he said.

He criticised the PML-N for not announcing its election manifesto so far, indicating that the PPP’s main rival had no idea of the difficulties facing the people, such as inflation and poverty. He also referred to Nawaz’s first election rally, saying that he would be in Punjab on Friday (today) to challenge him.

"Tomorrow (Friday), I will go to Punjab, where I will confront this tiger. I will convey a message to the people of South Punjab about how to defeat this tiger,” he said. “They only care about their rule, but we will thwart this conspiracy and establish people’s rule by securing the majority on February 8.”

He asked the people not to give the leadership role to anyone else.

"Give Bilawal a chance, and I will change the fate of the country. It is my dream that no citizen or child sleeps on an empty stomach. We will start programmes to eradicate hunger,” he said, referring to the PPP’s 10-point electoral agenda.

This election is between the arrow and the tiger. This tiger sucks the blood of people, farmers, poor and workers. “We will hunt this tiger together. Jayalas [the PPP workers] know how to hunt a tiger. On February 8, we will establish a people's rule with a majority.”