RAWALPINDI/HUB  -  Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday claimed that only his party (PPP) could steer the county out of the prevailing crisis, as it has a very clear mani­festo for the people’s welfare. 

Addressing a public gathering at Liaquat Bagh, the PPP Chair­man said that his party had given a 10-point agenda for ensuring public welfare and betterment after coming into power. The PPP is the only political party that could help the country emerge from the economic, so­cietal and security crisis, he said adding, the society is plagued with the politics of hatred and division, and the PPP is the only party that aims to bury it forever. 

“Shaheed Quaid-e-Awam gave us the slogan of ‘Roti, Kapra Aur Makaan’, which was extended by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in her last campaign,” he said and claimed that PPP would follow the vision and mission of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. “The PPP resolves to establish a ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ to help unify the coun­try so that we could progress and prosper,” he said. 

Bilawal went on to say, “the work­ers of PML-N should be told that their party is not protecting the sanctity of the vote, rather it is destroying it. The workers of PTI need to be apprised of the PPP’s struggle that it has been doing since three generations. They need to realise that Imran Khan is not in the elections, and he will not become the PM. All the office bearers of their party are planted, and them not getting their election symbol was a doing of their own people. Their of­fice bearers are shedding crocodile tears. Instead of wasting away their vote on the independent candidates, the people should make a wise choice and opt for the arrows. The majority of the country does not wish to see this person becoming the PM for the fourth time. The people are not will­ing to accept him as their PM at all.”

Bilawal also urged all political workers to shift their allegiance in favor of the PPP ahead of the Febru­ary 8 polls. In an assertive address at an election rally in Rawalpindi, Bila­wal Bhutto Zardari especially invited the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) loy­alists to vote for the PPP.

His remarks, laden with criticism of the rivals, set the stage for a charged political atmosphere in anticipation of the general elections.“People need to stamp the arrow of Shaheed Zu­lfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the Pakistan Peo­ple’s Party,” he contended.

Bilawal’s scrutiny of the PTI was multifaceted. He emphasized the absence of PTI’s founder from the electoral race and asserted that the party’s leadership had been pur­posefully picked rather than organ­ically emerging through democratic processes.

Drawing attention to the recent in­flux of new faces, predominantly law­yers, into the PTI ranks, Bilawal un­derscored the party’s predicament following legal challenges and inter­nal disputes, particularly the loss of its ‘bat’ symbol due to irregularities in internal elections.

In his appeal to the electorate, Bila­wal passionately reiterated the PPP’s enduring commitment to democratic governance, spanning three genera­tions of the Bhutto family.

He cautioned against emotional voting, imploring voters not to ‘waste’ their ballots and instead throw their support behind the ‘arrow,’ symboliz­ing the PPP.

Taking a dig at the PTI’s internal conflicts, Bilawal emphasized the im­portance of wielding the power of the vote, alluding to PTI’s legal entangle­ments and the symbolic loss.

He urged voters to choose the ‘ar­row’ on February 8, symbolizing col­lective strength against perceived po­litical machinations.

On Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Bilawal criticized the po­tential return of Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister for the fourth time, asserting that a majority of the coun­try opposes such an outcome.

In contrast, he positioned the PPP as the party uniquely equipped to guide the nation through crises and ensure stability.

Simultaneously, Bilawal’s father and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari echoed these sentiments in Baloch­istan, urging armed groups to em­brace democratic principles, high­lighting the crucial link between Balochistan’s survival and democrat­ic governance.

Zardari pledged to address regional issues, attract investors, and enhance peace and security in Hub.

Further emphasizing PPP’s com­mitment to the masses, Bilawal’s sis­ter Asifa Bhutto Zardari made prom­ises of free education and healthcare facilities during a rally in Lyari, pledging to regularize slum areas and eradicate poverty.

Bilawal’s speech at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi where his mother Bena­zir Bhutto was assassinated about 16 years ago, painted a vivid picture of the critical challenges facing the na­tion including economic, societal, and security crises. He invoked the lega­cies of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Bena­zir Bhutto, outlining the PPP’s com­prehensive manifesto and a 10-point economic charter.

Bilawal highlighted the PPP as the solitary political entity capable of adeptly navigating the country through these multifaceted challeng­es, advocating for the establishment of a ‘Truth and Reconciliation Com­mission’ to foster national unity.

He said as far as terrorism is con­cerned, “it is imperative that we tack­le it today. It has been a trend for us to make excuses and procrastinate on this matter, as we only act when our citizens are made targets of heinous attacks. The time has come for us to decide that there is no good or bad Taliban, and we should combat ter­rorism in all forms. We should only consider the constitution given by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto supreme, and should have the courage to give a befitting response in case the securi­ty of our people is compromised.” 

Bilawal called upon PPP support­ers, referred to as Jiyalas, to work diligently for the country’s sake, emphasizing the party’s extensive ex­perience in addressing diverse prob­lems. “This is the same city where Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Sha­heed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto were martyred,” he said.

The PPP chief urged voters to re­pose their trust in the PPP during the upcoming elections, encouraging them to cast their ballots for a new direction symbolized by the ‘arrow,’ representing the enduring legacy of the Bhutto family.

Zardari terms democracy crucial to address country’s problems

President Asif Ali Zardari on Sun­day said a strong democracy was cru­cial to address the problems facing the country. Addressing an election rally in Hub district of Balochistan, he said that Pakistan Peoples Party always supported strengthening of democracy in the country. 

Zardari said Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto raised the flag of de­mocracy and served the country twice as elected prime minister.

Zardari reiterated that PPP would work towards ensuring development in Balochistan after coming to power and stressed that only “genuine polit­ical parties” could resolve the prob­lems facing the country. 

According to a news release, the former President said that PPP was a federal party and serving the people was a noble cause for its leadership. 

Describing Balochistan’s progress in democracy, he recalled that that the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Programme was introduced by PPP.