‘Election and democracy halted for one person’s return’: Bilawal takes swipe at Nawaz

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari made thinly veiled references to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif while addressing a public gathering held in connection with the 16th anniversary of the Karsaz tragedy, outside Bilawal House in Karachi.

He said on Wednesday that the country’s constitution, election, and democracy were halted for “one person’s return.”

Despite being partners in the last government and demanding the former three-time prime minister’s return, the PPP has kept raising concerns that Nawaz might get “special relief”.

Nawaz will return to Pakistan on Saturday (October 21) and has been granted protective bail till October 24 in Avenfield and Al-Azizia case. Arrest warrants in Toshakhana case have also been suspended till October 24.

“Our previous allies will have to acknowledge that delaying elections will not ‘give respect to vote’, rather disrespect it,” Bilawal said during a public rally in Karachi, hitting out at the PML-N, whose slogan has been “vote ko izzt do (give respect to the sanctity of vote)”.

The PPP chairman also said that he wants to end the politics of divide and abuse, adding that if politicos keep fighting amongst themselves, the country will not progress.

“We can swallow the ‘bitter pill’ [of holding elections] in more than 90 days only when the election commission announces a date for the polls,” he said.

He called for holding elections, saying only people had the right to choose their leaders and make decisions for their future.

“امید ہے کہ تمام جمہوری جماعتیں پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے اس مطالبے کی حمایت کریں گی کہ الیکشن کمیشن فوری طور پر انتخابات کی تاریخ کا اعلان کرے تاکہ ہم اس نفرت کی سیاست کو دفن کرکے آگے بڑھ سکیں۔”

چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری @BBhuttoZardari #SalamShuhadaeKarsaz pic.twitter.com/RLBESruRI8

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) October 18, 2023

“We have to leave politics of abuses and divide behind. We need new leadership… a leadership that is not stuck in the past but thinks about the future. We don’t want 90s’ Pakistan or 2017’s Pakistan. We want today’s Pakistan… Pakistan of 2023… a modern Pakistan,” he added.

“The tenure of [coalition] government of the last 16 months taught us that Pakistan cannot be run from London,” he said.

In view of the skyrocketing inflation and depleting economic reserves, the PPP leader demanded that relief should be given to the common man instead of the elite.