People reject ‘selected rule’: Bilawal

MITHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced on Monday that people would not accept selected rule anymore.

Addressing a public rally at Marvi Ground on Diwali in Mithi, Bilawal said, “People tolerated selected rule for five years, but now any selected rule is unacceptable.” In an obvious reference to PTI, Bilawal said that people would respond to those who had attacked the state installations on May 9 in the general elections.

Referring to political rivals, he said, “On the other hand, we have friends, if they think that they will contest elections following the foot-steps of PTI, they will fail.” People will defeat “Mahengai-league” on February 8, said Bilawal, adding that people would give a surprise in the next elections.

Addressing the rally, the PPP chairman said that if someone became the prime minister for 6 months due to the efforts of Asif Zardari, a “jiala” (a term used for PPP workers) could also become the prime minister with his own efforts.

Bilawal further said, “The Election Commission has not issued the election schedule yet nor have we started the election campaign, but the people of Tharparkar have gathered in big number,” adding that if they came with the same enthusiasm on February 8, the PPP would emerge as victorious.

Recalling his family’s services to the people, Bilawal said that they had been struggling to eliminate poverty for the past three generations. The PPP empowered the farmers, peasants and the poor, he added.

The PPP chairman vowed to double the salaries of the workers and introduce a “hari card” like the Benazir Income Support Programme card after coming into power.

Last week, PPP’s former allies in Centre — PML-N and MQM-P — announced that they would jointly go into the upcoming general elections, a move which could have impacts on the election results in urban areas of Sindh, the stronghold of the Bilawal-led party.

The development came as the scathing verbal showdown between the PPP and PML-N, and the war of words intensified since the Election Commission of Pakistan announced to hold elections in the country in February next year.

The romance between the two former allies ended after the PDM-led coalition government completed its term in August and both the PPP and PML-N locked horns over election-related issues.