PESHAWAR - Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Sunday that his party and some other parties were being denied a level playing field to run campaigns for the upcoming general election. “Contesting elections is our right. But unfortunately, the PPP is being singled out before elections.
My party and some others are not being given a level playing field ahead of the elections,” he said this while speaking at a news conference in Malakand district from where he is also contesting election from NA-8.
“Though we had planned a huge public gathering in Malakand, we cancelled that to express solidarity with those who were killed in Peshawar, Bannu and Mastung terrorist attacks during elections rallies,” he said.
“The PPP is not being provided a favourable atmosphere,” Bilawal alleged, adding hurdles were being created in their election campaigns. “Our workers and candidates are being threatened but free and fair elections are our right.” He alleged that the local administration was treating the PPP differently than other political parties.
The PPP chairman urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take measures to ensure that every political party was given a level-playing field to run election campaign.
“Not a single, but all parties should be given equal opportunities as the free and fair election is our right,” he asserted and added that his party will form a government at the centre.
About delay in elections, Bilawal said that polls should be held on time as any delay would be detrimental to the interest of the country. “The PPP would neither support any move to delay polls nor would opt for their boycott,” he made it clear.
Talking about recent terrorist attacks on election rallies, he said that actually such incidents were aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear ahead of the general election. Replying a query, Bilawal said that the National Action Plan was not fully implemented.
He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf failed to serve the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in its five-year term adding that people basic issues such as gas, health, education and water issues must be focused.
He said that despite cancelling his public gathering in Malakand in light of recent attacks, he has come to Malakand to meet his workers, saying he will soon go to Quetta to express solidarity with families of the Mastung blast victims.
Zardari condemns terror
cases against activists
INP adds: President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) Asif Ali Zardari, strongly condemning the initiating of terror cases against political workers, said that the Constitution of the country guaranteed every citizen the democratic rights.
In a statement issued in Islamabad on Sunday, Asif Ali Zardari said that the political activists are the strength of democracy and democratic process. He said that there was no political prisoner during five years of PPP government from 2008-2013.
He said that bullet and bad-mouthing are the enemies of democracy. One should not resort to foul-language in politics, he said.
The people who are always bad-mouthing others cannot serve the nation, he added.
The PPPP President said that it is the responsibility of Election Commission to provide conducive environment to the political parties participating in the elections.
Zardari said that despite security concerns Bilawal Bhutto Zardari cannot be away from the people. Condemning firing incident on the rally of PPP candidate in Dadu, he asked government of Sindh to immediately arrest the culprits.
He prayed for early recovery of injured workers and instructed PPP workers to remain patient and continue their election campaign peacefully.