Bilawal vows to end political imprisonment

Appeals to masses not to vote for Nawaz’s fourth term

CHINIOT:

 

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday promised that after coming to power, there would no political prisoner in the country, appealing to the people to stamp on the ‘arrow’ on Feb 8 to bury the politics of hate.

Addressing a public gathering at the Hockey Ground here, Bilawal fired a broadside at three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, charging that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid would resort to political vendetta, if he was voted for a fourth stint.

“You have entered 2024. Elections are going to be held on February 8. Tell your colleagues that this is not the time to give [Nawaz] a fourth term. This vote is your power. I know it very well, there is malice and hatred in their hearts and their politics is the politics of violence,” Bilawal told the rally.

“He will take revenge, it is his habit. He will harm my country by taking personal revenge,” he said.

Bilawal stressed that in this election, the contest was between the tiger (the electoral symbol of the PML-N) and the arrow (the symbol of the PPP) and “we will hunt the tiger with the arrow”.

The PPP chief recalled that there was not a single political prisoner in the country during the PPP government from 2008 to 2013.

He promised that if given a chance again, there would not be a single political prisoner during his tenure.
“Whenever we get the chance, we think of your [people] benefit instead of political revenge. This country was divided because of politics of hate. If the politicians keep fighting with each other, the country will suffer a lot. If you give us a chance, we promise to take everyone along,” he added.

“On the one hand, there is an economic crisis and on the other hand, a crisis is being created in the society. Our [public] representatives are doing politics of hate in the society. I want to end this hatred but for that we need your support, we have to bring a new system.”

On the occasion, he also highlighted the PPP’s 10-point electoral agenda, which, he said, he himself had written.

Read: Contesting to 'bury old politics of hate': Bilawal

He promised to ensure its implementation just like his mother late “Benazir Bhutto fulfilled her promises to the people”.

“The first promise, God willing, we will not only increase the incomes of the people of Pakistan, but also double it. God willing, I will give you 300 units of free electricity. God willing, we will build three million houses in Pakistan and give ownership rights to the women. Every slum will be regularised,” he said.

“If the PPP forms the government, we will not only increase the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to combat poverty, but also provide interest-free loans to the women. We will issue farmer cards for small farmers as the PPP believes that the country will be prosperous if the farmer is happy,” he added.

He told the crowd that Rs1,500 billion was given in subsidy annually to the elite, which was a big injustice. “This subsidy, given to power plants and fertiliser companies, will be given to poor farmers. A PPP government at the Centre will also start a crop insurance scheme,” he continued.

He also highlighted the PPP’s plans to issue ‘labour card’, which would help the labour in receiving social security, medical treatment, and education.

He also mentioned the scheme of ‘youth card’. He also promised to establish youth centres across the country.

Bilawal began his speech by thanking the people of Chiniot, saying that he visited the town during the 2018 elections and later during the floods.

Now, when he was visiting the area in winter, he was welcomed “with great enthusiasm”.