'PPP has always advocated electoral reforms,': Bilawal Bhutto

KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday said that the PPP has always been an advocate of electoral reforms, adding that the party is ready for such reforms.

"In a bid to stop rigging in elections, it is necessary to introduce legislation," said Bilawal while addressing a press conference at the Bilawal House in Karachi.

The PPP chairman also said that if PML-N has solid proof of rigging in NA-249 by-polls, then it should contact the Election Commission of Pakistan, Geo.tv reported.

It should be recalled that PML-N candidate Miftah Ismail had earlier requested the ECP to recount the votes of the April 29 NA-249 by-election in Karachi after PPP's Abdul Qadir Mandokhel bagged 16,156 votes to win the seat.

The PML-N and the PTI both had cried foul and rejected the results, while the ECP had accepted Miftah Ismail's request to recount the votes.

"Since PML-N has lost the seat, they want the army to interfere in the matter. It should be recalled that in 2018, the army was deployed at all the polling stations of the country."

He said that PML-N's demand to hand over the ballot boxes to the army for recounting is "unreasonable," adding that the PPP does not support such demands. 

"While Imran Khan is speaking about dissolving the assembly, PML-N is talking about resigning from the assembly. Therefore, both seem to be on the same page," said Bilawal.

Praising his party, he said that in every other by-polls, the vote bank of the PPP continues to increase.

Bilawal's comments came during a press conference held in Karachi related to the Benazir Mazdoor Card initiative taken by the PPP-led Sindh government to provide financial provisions to poor labourers.

'Benazir Mazdoor Card will be provided to all labourers of Sindh'

During the press conference, the PPP chairman talked in detail about the Benazir Mazdoor Card, the Sindh government's initiative for labourers, and said that the card will be provided to all the labourers of the province.

The Benazir Mazdoor card was launched on Saturday, May 1, to mark International Labour Day.

During the conference, Bilawal said that the Mazdoor Card would allow labourers to avail all the necessary benefits and facilities, such as education, health, marriage grants, financial assistance, scholarships, as well as social insurance under the government's Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).