Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday came down hard on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), mocking that “it is said about one of our allies that when faced with trouble, they will fall into your feet, but will strangle your neck with bare hands otherwise”.

Bilawal made this terse remark indirectly in a media briefing following the extended Central Executive Committee meeting.

Announcing the decisions made by his party’s CEC, Bilawal said the ongoing constitutional crisis came under discussion and the members, sharing their perspectives, were of considered opinion that the ECP must instantly announce the election date in accordance with the constitution.

Bilawal said the CEC meeting participants conveyed their reservations regarding the need for a level playing field to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

Bilawal emphasised that at present, the masses were worried about the rising inflation and exorbitant electricity bills, and the party’s electoral strategy would only be brought forward once the date for the next general elections was notified.

He said it was not possible to put forward the party’s electoral strategy at this point in time, since the CEC’s reservations conveyed to Asif Zardari concerning a level playing field were yet to be taken care of.

The PPP chief, in reply to a question, expressed surprise that “Mian Sahib was not asked the same question that would having not spent a single day in Sindh and Balochistan made him uninterested in the two provinces?”

He deplored that only one party (the PPP) was targeted under a certain conspiracy to keep it away from other provinces, even though it had its historic foundation in Lahore city.

To prove his point, Bilawal tapped into history of the 2018 general elections which laid bare the nexus of General Faiz Hameed, retired chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Similarly in 2013, he said, his party was expelled from the province of Punjab in an undemocratic manner, for which those undemocratic forces were still paying the price.

That said, Bilawal reaffirmed, no one should think that the PPP was limited to one province alone.

In an indirect reference to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Bilawal noted that “it is said about one of our allies that when faced with trouble, they will fall into your feet, but will strangle your neck with bare hands otherwise.

Speaking of the hardships facing the common man, Bilawal said that by participating in the electoral exercise, the masses could vent their anger, as the solution to all the problems lied only in democracy.

The PPP chairman emphasised that it was the time the country’s youth were given a hope, arguing that the traditional methods in politics would have to be abandoned. “I understand the problems of the youth very well. They need to be engaged politically and economically,” averred Bilawal while adding that it was the responsibility of all political parties to give hope to the disillusioned and disgruntled youth.

Regarding the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, Bilawal said his party had a clear position regarding the NAB. “It was created by a dictator and should be done away with as such.”

He said he did not read the decision handed down by the Supreme Court today (Friday) annulling the amendments to NAB laws, but added he was not surprised by the judgment as it was as expected.

Bilawal also stressed that the standard for accountability should be the same for everyone. “Whether old or new ones, we are ready to face any NAB case: the accountability watchdog is nothing new for us,” he went on to add.

Bilawal stated that before the May 9 events, his party’s effort was geared towards finding a solution to the controversy surrounding the elections through a political dialogue. “We wished that effort had met success, but it did not see any advancement, when PTI supporters targeted certain defence installations unfortunately.

“We can talk to politicians who are not directly involved in the incidents of May 9,” added Bilawal, admitting that the line was indeed crossed on that day.