Stamp on arrow for 'real democracy': Bilawal woos PML-N voters

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has urged the supporters of his rival party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to vote for the PPP if they wish to see “real democracy” in the country.

The request comes days after Bilawal, the former foreign minister, demanded the same of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) voters as electioneering picks up pace ahead of the February 8 general elections.

As polls approach, Bilawal has branded himself as a leader willing to bridge the gap between political actors, vowing to ensure that no person is a “political prisoner” during his government if voted into power, and ending the “old ways” of political revenge.

In his address to an election rally in Gujrat on Thursday, Bilawal called on the people to stamp on the 'arrow' — his party’s electoral symbol.

"Today the lion is sucking people's blood. Those who said that the PPP is no match for them are now obsessed with the PPP," the former foreign minister said while taking a jibe at his political opponents.

He said that there must be some reason that "the lion is not coming out to prey".

"[Instead], the lion wants someone else to prey for him so he emerges as the king," Bilawal added.

The 35-year-old politician has been calling out PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for his bid to become the prime minister for a fourth time. In a recent interview with Reuters, Bilawal said that the three-time prime minister is apparently attempting to become the country’s premier again via a backdoor.

"He's certainly giving the impression that he is relying on something other than the people of Pakistan to become prime minister for the fourth time," Bilawal said when asked if he thought the establishment was backing Nawaz.

The Oxford-educated Bilawal is less than half the age of Nawaz, 74, whom analysts consider the frontrunner in next month's election, and the scion of Pakistan's most powerful political dynasty, that gave the nation two prime ministers.

Youth appeal and ambitious plans to combat climate change form the core of Bilawal's effort to become prime minister of Pakistan, which, if successful, would make him its youngest premier since his mother Benazir was in office.

Meanwhile, his political opponents who once were his allies, PML-N leaders insist that Nawaz, if brought to power, will work on the country's development instead of pursuing "politics of revenge" as alleged by Bilawal.