President Asif Ali Zardari predicted on Sunday that Bilawal Bhutto would win over the hearts of people in Punjab just as he had done in Sindh on his December 27 political debut.
“After his first address, we saw that he ruled the hearts of people in Sindh. He will now do the same in Punjab,” the president told a delegation of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders in south Punjab.
“I have told Bilawal to embrace the political vision of his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He will now carry forth the legacy of the Bhuttos. I was merely a custodian of the responsibility handed over to me by Benazir Bhutto,” said President Zardari.
He was talking to PPP MPA Amir Dogar, the party’s General Secretary South Punjab chapter Khawaja Rizwan Aalam and other senior PPP leaders of south Punjab.
Though Bilawal Bhutto’s entry marks the start of a new culture in politics, he said, the traditional vision of PPP will be maintained. “The party’s age-old dedication to the rights of workers, labourers, farmers and peasants will remain unchanged.”
“Today our politicians are seeking to revive the culture of revenge which marked the politics of the 1990s. The PPP will battle against the politics of revenge and will undo this trend.”
While in Punjab, President Zardari met United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who was on a visit there.
The president expressed satisfaction over bilateral ties with the UAE and invited UAE investors to benefit from liberal trade packages which the present government was offering to foreign entrepreneurs.
While noting that up to 1.2 million Pakistanis were working in the UAE, the president expressed confidence that the workforce was positively contributing towards the socioeconomic development of either country, and was also serving to strengthen diplomatic ties.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2012.
COMMENTS (33)
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Well he has conquered at least one heart from Punjab if those rumours were correct :-)
I am all for Bilawal winning the hearts and minds of everyone in Pakistan as long as he has something to win them with -- apart from a hand written will and his family name.
I will be happy for him to work his way up just like all other decent and hard working people of Pakistan. So, how about joining the queue like the rest of us, Mr Bilawal?
This is not about political affiliation; it is quite simply about not suffering from inferiority complex on a national scale and regarding our children as equals when it comes to opportunities and leadership.
we always there to vote for ppp , nawaz sharif and imran khan r just party of two cities but ppp rules all over the country from sindh to balochistan and punjab to kpk to gilgit to azad kashmir , so when u talk about national political party then u only found ppp ,you r just here to use abused language against ppp leaders but thanks to all of u that this act of yours make us more strong to vote for ppp , the more u hate ppp we vote more for ppp ,
He has done such a fine job in Lyai. I am sure the residents in Punjab are looking forward to a similar performance in Punjab.
in South Punjab maybe.
He should first release his list of assets and net worth.
What type of democracy is this? I think it is the right time for PPP to openly declare itself a party which believes in monarchy.
@ Socko - and what PPP governments have given to Sindh? Do you not see deprivation of people of interior Sindh at all?
@Kh: You must have got some direct benefit from PPP
with support of ridiculous journalism of ET
I am from Sidh. I believe that Zardari & Company cannot win the hearts of people of Larkana and Nawab Shah. How can they do so in Punjab? They always did politics of hate and provincialism. They people have punished Punjab during last 5 years. PML(N) is weak in South Punjab but even then they have done a lot in South Punjab. Punjab Government has spent a lot for education in all Punjab. But PPP has done nothing for education in Sindh. PPP leaders always talk about Bhutto and Benazir but they have nothing to tell about their performance in 5 years. Shame.
Try KP province.....
Endless dreams of PPP.
People should not waste their power in anger and abuse. Vote is your weapon. Use it against this government
@socko: you better ask this question from your leaders....since independence only sindhis have been in the driving seat of your province......what have they given to its people. Rural sindh is still one of the most least developed areas of Pakistan. Is it repsonsibility of people of punjab to develop sindh........you keep on druming up your martydoms and keep getting the same people to govern your province. Bureucracy in sindh is primarily occupied with sindhi speakers.....may be nothing wrong with it.........but then dont blame others for your own ills.
Punjab and KPK will keep their development pace.........because people there are more pluralistic and not too much bothered about the ethnicity of their inhabitants. Punjab has sizeable population of urdu, hindko, potohari speaakers in addition to large seraiki and punjabi section but nobody bothers about it. Same in KPK they have hindko, seraiki, hazara, pushto, chitrali etc. No honey or milk there as well, but relativelly better curve of development.
jobs are not distributed on the basis of linguistics in these provinces, while in sindh the primary criteria is domicile (ethnic based). so if a person is not competent he will still get the position only due to his ethnicity.
Joke of the year at the end of 2013.
Dream on!
With poor performance in the last 5 year, PPP thought it would make an impression by fielding a young son of BB. Fortunately, it was not a blast. PPP, you will have to go back to basics.... have somebody killed in your party to get awam's sympathies!!!
@socko: I am sure you are forgetting this reality that Sindh is getting Punjab's irrigation water and running all the Sindh's canals 12 months but in Punjab more than 50% canals are closed after 6 months and water is given to the Sindh's canals.....
I am from Lahore and I am voting for PPP!
JOKE of the day.
Even people of Sindh dislike Bhutto and Zardari family. How can they win hearts of Punjab. IMPOSSIBLE. Rather people hate them
@Ali Mardan Turn the argument around... Why should People in sindh really worried about Pakistan & Punjab, what has the country & the province given to Sindh... They gave only Martyrs, killed politicians who were elected by the people from Sindh... Still they have not stopped spreading hatred, most of the time subconsciously and sometime consciously. Try looking what you are saying form other person's point of view!?!
Good Zardari, Now your Son will win our hearts ? Like you have WON our hearts in last 5 years?? Sweet dreams!!
Why should people of Punjab vote for PPP? What PPP has given to Punjab? Shehbaz Sharif took many measures for Punjab but federal government did nothing. PPP can never win the hearts of Punjabi people. I am from South Punjab and Shehbaz Sharif has took many measures and good steps for South Punjab. ALLAH bless PML(N).
what a joke President Sb .. Made my day :D
Punjab will never vote for PPP. What has Zardari given to Punjab except load shedding of electricity, sui gas and CNG. Our vote for Nawaz Sharif.
hahahahahahaa LOLz............ Zaradari's statement it very funny
I can't really say for others, but my heart remains decidedly unconquered by Bilawal Zardari, and I would be willing to bet that many people in Sindh feel the same.
No Jiyala here, but Bilawal did make a pretty impressive speech. I fully agree with the rhetoric, but the question is whether he will also practice it? Let's remember he is spent very little time with his father. He grew up while BB was in exile, so his primary influence is that brave woman.