SHAHDADKOT/LARKANA  -  Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Monday that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) wants to play alone in the field by keeping opponents out of the pitch, as many PPP candidates were not allotted the arrow symbol in Punjab. 

“We will fight with unwaver­ing determination and courage. People support us, we will form the government by thwarting the “fourth time prime minis­ter conspiracy,” he vowed.

According to a press release issued by Media Cell Bila­wal House, the PPP chairman while addressing a press con­ference in Meero Khan town of Qambar-Shahdadkot district said that the election campaign by his party had been going on for a long time and now it seems that the elections are near. “We are going from place to place seeking the support of the people of Pakistan. Because the PPP is the only party that trusts the people, whose manifesto says that the source of power is the people,” he added. Bilaw­al said that the solution to the problems of inflation, unemployment and poverty faced by the nation is the 10-point “Peo­ple’s Economic Agreement” present­ed by him. He said that the purpose of politics is to serve the people, solve the problems faced by them, and represent them. “What our old politicians are do­ing is the politics of hatred and division. Their politics is not on a manifesto, but they have turned differences into per­sonal rivalries. We appeal to the people to support a new thinking on February 8, and support a new politics that focus­es on serving the people,” he added.

Terming the devastation caused by the floods during the year 2022 as a major is­sue of Sindh, the PPP chairman said that due to unprecedented floods last year not only thousands of houses destroyed, but also 50 percent of the government schools in the province were also wiped away. He said that as Foreign Minister, he had brought the whole world togeth­er and arranged funds for the rehabilita­tion of flood victims as well as convinced the federal government to provide finan­cial assistance. “I was assured, by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), by everyone, that there would be no hin­drance in the work being done for the flood victims. But right now, according to my reports that there are constant ob­stacles in this regard,” he pointed out. He said the construction of flood victims’ houses, awarding the land ownership to them and funding from the federal gov­ernment were currently stalled.

Pointing out the lack of level play­ing field in general elections due next month, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Punjab administration was target­ing PPP candidates under the influence of PML-N, adding that the arrow sym­bol was not being allotted to PPP can­didates. He said that the MNA candidate from Chakwal, the candidates from PP-20, PP-21, NA-59 Talagang, PP-119 Toba Tek Singh, NA-122 Lahore were not giv­en the arrow symbol. “Of the five pro­vincial assembly seats below the con­stituency I am contesting from NA-127, Fayaz Bhatti has also been denied the arrow symbol,” he said, adding that the tactics were adopted by the ROs un­der pressure from the PML-N, and the ECP has been approached on this mat­ter. Sharing the schedule of his election campaign with media, the PPP chair­man said that he will give a full launch and briefing on his manifesto, People’s Economic Agreement, in Larkana to­morrow (Tuesday). He said he would address rallies in Badin and Sanghar on January 17, Naushahro Feroze and Dadu on January 18, Rahim Yar Khan on Janu­ary 19, Kot Addu on January 20 and La­hore on January 21.

Addressing the people of Lahore and South Punjab, he said: “Come and sup­port the PPP, now the election is be­tween the arrow and the lion. I am sure the people will support the PPP. Be­cause the PPP is the only option that can not only defeat the PML-N, but also bury the politics of hatred and division for­ever by uniting everyone. “ In response to a question, Chairman Bilawal Bhu­tto Zardari said that there is no power at this time who wants to postpone the elections, while Chief Justice Qazi Faiz had also declared that elections will be held on February 8.