Party has just begun, says Bilawal

LAHORE/KASUR: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said those claiming that the PPP has been eliminated in Punjab must come over and see for themselves that it still exists very much here.

(Looking at people’s participation in the PPP rallies, they would realise that) “the party has just begun,” he told a big gathering at Kashmir Chowk in Kasur late Thursday night. He reached Kasur in the form of a big convoy in connection with the party candidate Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad’s election campaign. He also visited the shrine of Sufi saint Bulleh Shah, laid a chador on the grave and offered Fateha.

Later on, addressing the media at Bilawal House Lahore before leaving for Karachi on Friday, Bilawal said his party would remain in the field and participate in elections despite reservations on the electoral process. "We are being barred from running our election campaign," he alleged and added "But, we will contest these elections as a challenge.”

Calling for the need to draw redline against extremism in a democratic dispensation, the PPP chairman said July-25 polls are a challenge for democratic forces and they must be held in a fair and transparent manner.

He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) had joined hands with the banned outfits to counter the PPP. He said the PML-N believed in selection, and not election process, but the PPP wanted fair and transparent polls in the country. He said by facilitating some political parties, the July-25 election should not be made controversial.

The PPP chairman said his party was the only party which believed in strengthening federation, no matter it wins the polls or not. To a question, Bilawal said while using bad language against rivals, a party could only win once, but it would cost the party highly in the long run.

About his Punjab visit, he said that it had created a hope for a positive trend in politics in future. He said the PPP would continue its struggle even after the polls, adding that it wanted an end to politics of hatred.

Agencies add: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Friday the PML-N and the PTI had entered into electoral alliances with the proscribed organisations against his party. He said the nexus between the banned organisations and the political parties was evident in Malir district of Karachi. “We have to think what message we are giving to the world,” he added.

He said the warm welcome he received from Karachi to Peshawar showed that there was still space for politics of issues in our democracy.

Bilawal said even a weak democracy was better than dictatorship. “Now we win or lose, but journey of democracy will continue forever,” he added. To another question, he said he would fulfil the mission of Benazir Bhutto.