Bilawal criticizes PML-N leaders for having time and money to work on the Metro Bus project at the cost of the poor people of Punjab. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said he is not leading his party’s election campaign and is, instead, assisting senior members.
“I wanted to contest polls living amongst you; I wanted to launch the election campaign in the streets of my country alongside my workers,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The young PPP chairman also said that the murderers of his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and mother Benazir Bhutto were now looking to eliminate him.
“Time has brought us at the same point from where we had started our journey; once again the enemies of peace and prosperity are standing in front of us. They belong to a specific mindset; PPP has fought against this mindset for the past five years and continues to fight it till today. I know that the supporters of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto are waiting anxiously for me, but we are at war against this mindset,” he said.
Bilawal further said, “Hindrances are being created in our way because we don’t have any friends sitting in higher institutions who can also give us ‘stay orders’ like others. Today, we are being attacked; corpses are being taken from our houses because we are not Zia’s remnants whose houses are being protected and with whom deals are being signed.”
Bilawal also went on to criticize Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders for having time and money to work on the Metro Bus project at the cost of the poor people of Punjab. “Where are the people who claim to have given rivers of milk and honey to the Punjab? Can’t they see the people of South Punjab who are facing many hardships due to the non-provision of basic facilities?”
“People are dying of hunger and poverty and you are doing the politics on the Sasti Rotti scheme,” he added.
Dejected members warned against contesting independently
Bilawal has warned dejected party members who announced they would independently contest the general elections to withdraw their names from seats within 24 hours, or else strict action would be taken against them.
His aunt, former MNA Faryal Talpur, issued a similar warning. “I do not want to hear any slogans against our party. Please do not be foolish. If anyone chants anti-PPP slogans, we will take action against them,” she said, as reported by a local TV channel, during an emotional speech in Kamber Shahdadkot district.
Sources in the party said that the internal rift between PPP leaders is getting worse by the day, prompting the party leadership to issue such warnings in fear that they may lose out in the upcoming polls.
The PPP leadership’s decision to form an alliance with its arch rivals in particular created resentment among some old guards. The disgruntled members are not willing to accept the party’s move to award tickets to newcomers. Various PPP leaders, including those from Kamber Shahdadkot, Larkana, Ghotki, Sukkur and Tharparkar, have decided to contest the elections as independent candidates against PPP’s nominees. In Ghotki district, the party has allotted a majority of seats to members of the Mahar family who were earlier affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and only recently joined the PPP.
Out of the two national and four provincial assembly seats in Ghotki district, the PPP had allotted one national and two provincial assembly seats to the Mahar brothers. Later it awarded yet another National Assembly seat (NA 200) to the Mahar family withdrawing the ticket from its own candidate, Khalid Ahmed Lund, who has now announced he will contest elections independently.
Following Bilawal’s warning Jam Saifullah Dhareejo withdrew his decision to contest against Raja Mahar in Ghotki.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
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So.... you look at the caption, "My mother’s killers want to eliminate me" and you look at billo baby waving with his daddy's grin and one thing comes to mind: Tee hee.
I am watching closely the election 2013 progressing towards 11th may 2013 , the day we will have new elected governemt. Sorry to see PPPP or PPP candidates who are advertising their leaders dead bodies only , why we are playing politics of dead persons. PPPP or PPP have enjoyed enough benifit of their dead leaders but unfortunately non of them has followed the idealogy or their dead leaders. Enough is enough , I will ask Balwal to come in front and check no one should take advantage of dead leaders. we should remeber them in our heart , follow their policy but stop publicity of their death and do not cash the death of the leaders. Look for future , talk about present , learn lesson from past. Every Pakistani has the right to progress , enjoy the basic life facility , qualty education , health care and law and order rule in our Pakistan.
This is another drama to get sympathy vote
i guess this is PPP manifesto, ploy to get votes.
Young Bilawal, at the moment it is not worth your trouble. Let us see what these other parties can do in the next 5 years (Naya Pakistan etc.). It is very easy to be a critic when you are in the opposition. Let them have the hot seat for a change. The PPP should work on building up the party and its strengths during the next five years. Your mother was a remarkable person like your grandfather. It is because of them that the country is still around. Patience is a virtue.
Who is Bilawal?
That's just an excuse! Even the PPP (Payo, Phuphi and Puttar) are well aware that they don't stand a chance this time around. It's a two horse race!
Oh Please...
"My mother’s killers want to eliminate me "
so, this is PPP's new slogan for this elections?....i dont think they can encash anything out of it this time on elections, like the 2008 elections... PPP have abused the sympathy of people who voted on the name of Benazir Bhutto.
No one wants to eliminate you, young man. We want to end your Party's rule in Pakistan forever. Its not an individual issue, but a political issue.