‘Thank you, Bilawal,’ says Shehbaz Sharif

Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday after a resounding victory by the PML-N in PP-84 by-election. In a statement tweeted by the PPP’s official Twitter handle, Bilawal Bhutto congratulated Sharif on PML-N’s win and also added that the “consistent wins by the Opposition show clearly how disillusioned people are with the PTI and its anti-people policies. The people of Pakistan continue to give their verdict against PTI, but the selected govt refuses to listen.”

The consistent wins by the Opposition show clearly how disillusioned people are with the PTI and its anti people policies. The people of Pakistan continue to give their verdict against PTI, but the selected govt refuses to listen.

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) May 6, 2021

Shehbaz Sharif responded to this tweet by thanking Bilawal. “There is no doubt that the by-election results represent an overwhelming rejection of the anti-people policies pursued by the PTI government,” tweeted Sharif.

Thank you, Bilawal. There is no doubt that the by-election results represent an overwhelming rejection of the anti-people policies pursued by the PTI government.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 6, 2021

The last few months have seen the leaders of the PPP and PML-N indulge in a war of words, both online and offline. In March, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz tweeted about a ‘substitute being fostered’, which some say was a dig at Bilawal Bhutto after Asif Zardari had asked Mian Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan during a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

No rough day at all particularly when you know what’s happening & why. Tbh,the one who should be really worried is the Selected bcoz he is being seen as a ‘spent force’ & his substitute is being fostered. Btw, I am not liking the tweet but responding directly 😜 @CherieDamour_ https://t.co/P4adReJD9Q

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 17, 2021

When Bilawal was later asked whether Maryam’s comment was about him, he said that if he wanted to comment on the PML-N’s vice-president, he would have asked his party’s vice-president to comment on it.

If I had to talk about PML-N vice president, I would ask my party vice president to talk, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari@BBhuttoZardari#جمہوری_تھے_جمہوری_ہیں pic.twitter.com/RmZWrKDYZ0

— Majeed Khan (@MajeedKhanPPP) March 22, 2021