King’s party to face crushing defeat on Feb 8: Bilawal

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Friday the new “King’s Party” will face a humiliating defeat on February 8 as witnessed by the previous King’s Party in 2008 general polls.

The PPP Chairman stated this on Friday while talking to the media during the visit to Safari Park. He said a “King’s party” emerges before every general election but they only create doubts about the neutrality of the establishment. He said they were earlier reassured about the neutrality of the establishment and that should be maintained. he said the PPP always wanted the national institutions to strictly remain within their respective constitutional domains. “Fielding such parties sends a wrong message to the public and political circles,” he stressed.

The PPP, he said knew how to gradually retrieve its space on the political landscape of the country. He said the PPP might opt for seat adjustment in a few constituencies in the upcoming general elections as otherwise, PPP’s loyalists are clear about contesting the polls on their own. Bilawal said the people of Pakistan would decide who should become the next prime minister in the elections.

Bilawal said that his party was pondering different options with regard to JUIF. The options are open either to form an alliance with the Fazl-led party or to jointly contest polls or contest elections against them.

To a question about the electoral alliance between the PMLN and MQM, he said it would instead prove to be more beneficial to PPP than causing any harm.

Bilawal said the PPP had done hard work to instal Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister in the previous PDM regime but only to serve the national interest.

Bilawal said that only two days before the passage of the no-confidence motion against PTI the PDM leaders were asked by former COAS General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa to withdraw the motion. In return, he offered to hold early elections. However the then PDM rejected the offer.

Criticising the government for a lack of clarity on Afghan policy, the former foreign minister suggested that the repatriation of Afghan refugees to their native country should take place in an honourable way. Only the terrorists and TTP should be dealt with sternly.