Bilawal renews 'no political prisoners' pledge if voted to power

PESHAWAR: Blaming the former ruling parties for indulging in revenge-centric politics, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has renewed his vow that there will be "no political prisoners" if his party is voted to power.

"The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were involved in doing politics of hate," the PPP chief said while addressing an election rally in Peshawar’s Hayatabad on Saturday — ahead of the February 8 general polls.

Bilawal asked politicians to learn lessons from the parties who get karma for sidelining their political opponents and promoting the politics of division and hate during their rule.

The politico said the PTI got bad karma after trying to clutch the political lifeline of its rivals.

Moreover, he also threw shade at Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying: “I don’t know what would happen to those who were trying to run away from elections due to winter. They have the history of running away from polls whether it was municipal elections or by-polls.”

Firing salvo at the former prime minister, the PPP leader said, “We kept asking Khan sahib [during Imran Khan's tenure] to refrain from arresting women and stop doing politics of hate. The PTI founder had toppled his government by saying ‘surprise’. How do you feel about the surprise now?”

The former premier — who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in 2022 — had insisted on sending everyone [political opponents] to jail but he is himself behind bars now, Bilawal said, adding, “The one who tried to oppress the daughter of Quaid-e-Awam [Benazir Bhutto] had to see his daughter being arrested. However, no one should be happy about what is happening to the PTI.”

Bilawal, the former foreign minister, also claimed that the PML-N represents the elites while the PPP symbolises the common people, which is, according to him, the only party contesting general polls with a manifesto.

Vowing to end politics of division and hate after coming into power, he said he would shift the entire political dynamics.

The PPP stalwart was of the view that there is only a contest between ‘arrow’ and ‘lion’ in the forthcoming general polls. He also appealed to the nationals not to waste their votes on independent candidates.

In the 2013 elections, the PPP came second after the Nawaz-led party, garnering 42 of the 342 seats up for grabs. In 2018, with 54 seats, it was runner-up to the parties of both Sharif and Khan.

The PPP chief vowed to bring an “economic revolution” to the country, focusing on improving per capita income (PCI), employment, regularisation of katchi abadis, 300 free electricity units to deserving families via solar projects, construction of 3 million houses, kisan cards, youth cards and a chain of hospitals for free medical treatment.

Earlier in the day, the Bilawal-led party unveiled its detailed manifesto, named Chuno Nai Soch Ko (choose new thinking), presenting its plans for the nationals if it assumes power after a victory in the upcoming polls.

The party, which ruled the country from 2008 to 2018, will also launch the "Bhook Mitao Programme" which will ensure food security, by aiming to make nutritious food available at affordable prices, boost domestic production, subsidise local producers, and connect women with the market economy as active entrepreneurs.