LAHORE  -  Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday that if Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari becomes the country’s premier his party will surely accept him. 

The prime minister lauded Bilawal saying, ‘’Bilawal had done great as the foreign minister of my cabinet. Bilawal Bhutto, who is a young­ster, is having a bright future.’’ He said, ‘’Hope­fully, we [PML-N] will clinch a simple majority in the upcoming elec­tions. We have to com­pete with our past per­formance’’. 

It is up to masses to elect representatives at will on Feb 8. Shehbaz Sharif said people from different fields will vote on February 8. I want to request that you [masses exercise your right to vote.’’ ‘’I want to request that you con­sider the track record of the political party you [masses] want to vote for,’’ he said. He admitted the country was fac­ing social, economic, and po­litical problems. ‘’Today, the country is facing challenges from terrorism. At the same time, there are challenges from internal distractions.’’ ‘’Vote for the PML-N to drag the country out of the quag­mire,’’ he said. While brush­ing aside speculations, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will oppose with full force against attempts to postpone the February 8 general elec­tions. In an interview with a private TV channel, he stressed that the time has arrived to en­ter the election phase at any cost, adding that any delay in the polls would be disastrous for Pakistan and democracy. He expressed his views that all parties have commenced election campaigns across the country. “Despite challenges, the nationwide polls should be conducted without any further delay.” Recalling the performance of past govern­ments led by his elder brother, he said that Nawaz Sharif had made Pakistan a nuclear pow­er. He also gave credit to the former coalition government led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — a 13-par­ty alliance formed to topple the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govern­ment — for preventing the country from “facing default”. The ex-premier added that the former PDM government, un­der his premiership, was only fighting for Pakistan’s survival without any political agen­das during its 16-month rule. Elaborating on the party’s election strategy, the PML-N president said that Nawaz had personally interviewed candi­dates. The junior Sharif also detailed that Nawaz would be the party’s candidate for the premiership. He, however, re­fused to ascertain the restora­tion of his previous portfolio of the Punjab chief ministership. “I don’t know yet who would be the next Punjab CM. After winning the mandate, the de­cision will be taken after con­sultation with Nawaz.”