February 8 sun to bring Bilawal's victory: Asif Ali Zardari

Former president Asif Ali Zardari Monday said that the February 8's sun when the general elections are due to be held will bring victory for Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman also directed the party workers to commence election campaign-related activities for the polls which are due in February next year.

"Every PPP worker should start the election campaign by becoming the ambassador of Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed," the party's stalwart said in a statement posted by the PPP on X, formerly Twitter.

The former president, who has been leading the PPP alongside his son, Bilawal — since Benazir Bhutto's assassination in December 2007 — assured people that their problems would be resolved in a matter of few days.

"The PPP will end people's problems," the party supremo said while hinting at the former foreign minister's success.

His remarks came in a statement issued expressing gratitude to the people of Karachi after the party clinched victory in the municipal by-elections in Sindh.

"Karachi, the heart of Sindh, has also raised the slogan of jiye Bhutto," Zardari said.

The PPP co-chairman said that the success of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad is a special message for the people opposing Karachi.

The PPP co-chairman paid tribute to the party's workers following the victory, which has granted them the control to helm the city's affairs.

On Sunday, Wahab won the union committee (UC) chairman seat from Karachi’s Saddar Town area in local government elections held across 14 districts of Sindh on Sunday.

Wahab secured 3,976 votes against Jamat-e-Islami (JI) candidate Noor-ul-Islam, who bagged only 1,556 votes, according to unofficial results.

Following the announcement of the results, the jubilant PPP workers took to the streets to celebrate the victory.

Karachi’s deputy Mayor Salman Murad of the PPP also won the chairman’s seat from Karachi’s Malir district.

Karachi mayor elections were in June this year and under the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Act, the mayor and deputy mayor are required to contest and win UC chairman elections within six months after being elected.

The party is now gearing up for the general elections next year after the Supreme Court facilitated the decision of the polls' date announcement by President Dr Arif Alvi and the Election Commission of Pakistan on November 3.