Loud and clear: Zardari to be PPP candidate for president's slot

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Sunday publicly announced that former president Asif Ali Zardari would be his party’s nominee for the presidency.

Addressing a Youm-e-Tashakur rally in Thatta to celebrate the election victory in Sindh, Bilawal said after assuming the charge the PPP co-chairman would save the federation and defuse the ongoing political tensions in the country.

Amid the ongoing countrywide protests against alleged massive rigging in the February 8 general elections, the PPP chairman warned of a protest call if "democracy or federation is in danger.

Bilawal asked his party supporters to take to the streets on his call, in the same way, they came out during the era of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his assassinated mother and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

He said the PPP raised the slogan of “Pakistan Khappay” to “extinguish the fire of [political] uncertainty erupted in all the four provinces”.

The PPP chairman said they would lodge their candidates’ complaints regarding rigging in the February 8 elections with the appropriate legal forum.

If the relevant forum failed to provide them justice then they would stage protests along with the masses, he warned. The former foreign minister, however, clarified that he is not in favour of protest as if he also starts the street protests it will harm the country and the federation.

“Jialas were martyred in Karachi, Mirpur Khas and Moro,” Bilawal said, adding that his party’s candidates came under attack in Balochistan as well. He was of the view that his party’s mandate was also stolen.

The upcoming government in Sindh would be formed purely based on Form 45, the PPP stalwart added.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) provisional results (Form 47), the PPP secured 54 National Assembly (NA) seats and bagged 84 seats in Sindh, 11 in Balochistan, 10 in Punjab and four in Khybar Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The Bilawal-led party can easily form government in Sindh for the fourth consecutive term. Earlier today, the party announced that it would form a government in Balochistan with PML-N's support.

In the Centre, the party had thrown its weight behind the PML-N but excused from taking any ministries.

Political parties should give preference to people’s interests 

The PPP leader urged all the political parties to give preference to people’s interests over their objectives.

Stressing the need for reconciliation, he said that no power could harm democracy and the federation if they worked jointly. Bilawal further said that "it is the time to save the country". 

The political parties should lodge their complaints about rigging on the relevant forum, he added.

Talking about the numbers, the PPP chairman said that it was not his right to present himself as a candidate for the prime ministership. “We neither want the prime minister’s chair [slot] nor any ministry. We just want people’s problems to be solved.”

'Seeking rights for flood affectees in return for PM slot's vote'

In return for votes for the prime minister’s slot, the PPP would seek rights for the flood affectees in Sindh and Balochistan, Bilawal said.

Sharing the details of dialogues with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in connection with a proposed coalition government in the Centre, the PPP chief said that he was asked to give the initial three-year term to them and the remaining two years to him but he rejected the offer.

“I rejected [offer] and said that the people of Pakistan will make me the prime minister.”

The PPP leader said that he would convey the people’s voice in the National Assembly.