Victory in Senate to be a bonus for PDM, says Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said Pakistan Democratic Movement’s effort to dislodge the government has succeeded and whatever is to be achieved Wednesday (today) will be a bonus.

“Imran Khan is perplexed now that he is going home and we have been successful which is why the government is running a campaign of character assassination, as Imran Khan cannot control his own members and members of allied parties,” he said while talking to media along with Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here on Tuesday prior to the dinner he had hosted for PDM leaders and the Parliamentarians belonging to the PDM.

Bilawal said that the goal of the movement was to restore democracy and raise the issues of the people.

“This government is not solving any of the issues faced by the people of Pakistan; it is not even solving the issues of its own members and allies,” he said.

He said: “We will get up early in the morning and will cast our votes early. We are contesting the Senate election on political relations and not using money to get votes.”

Referring to a viral video, Bilawal said he wanted to make it clear that the PPP was contesting the poll for democracy. He said government members were talking to media channels and admitting that MNAs had been promised Rs50 crores by Imran Khan in the parliamentary party meeting of the PTI.

“The state money is being used to bribe its own members and allies,” he said.

Bilawal said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was using state money to buy members but we were urging every member to cast vote according to conscience.

He said that the role of the opposition was being undermined by talking about the use of money in the Senate. “Money is being used by the government,” he said.

Replying to a question, the PPP chairman said that the PTI was threatening its own members and trying to keep them in line.

“Imran Khan has got panicked because he is aware that he has lost the confidence of not only the people of Pakistan but also of his own party members,” he said, adding now there is no place for escape.

Former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said after the verdict of the Supreme Court the ministers had started giving their own versions on the judgment.

He said if the government had wanted to undo the secret ballot, it should have done this through a constitutional amendment.

He said seeking votes was his constitutional right and the PTI was doubting its own members.

“I even wrote a letter to Imran Khan seeking his vote,” he said.