PESHAWAR: Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took a dig at Nawaz Sharif, the supremo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), accusing him of seeking the position of prime minister for the fourth time through selection rather than election in the upcoming general elections.
Speaking at a political gathering in the Lower Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Bilawal commented, “Mian sahib, you have assumed power three times through ‘selection.’ It’s time to be ‘elected’ for your fourth term as prime minister this time.”
Bilawal’s remarks come amid increasing political tensions as parties gear up for the upcoming elections and forge new alliances. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the poll date, leading to a verbal clash between the PPP and PML-N, former allies. The PPP has accused the PML-N of receiving preferential treatment.
Calling on Nawaz to engage in politics that upholds the integrity of the vote, Bilawal criticized his pursuit of a fourth term, questioning the significance of someone who has previously failed three times seeking power again. He warned that if Nawaz ascends to power through “selection,” neither the public nor he would accept the outcome, pledging to resist any ruler deemed “selected.”
Bilawal also condemned Nawaz’s history of “revenge politics” during his involvement with the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) against the PPP in 1988. He highlighted Nawaz’s removal in his third term and questioned the reasons behind it upon his return.
Taking a swipe at both Imran Khan and Nawaz, Bilawal emphasized that the country cannot afford a “player” or a fourth-term leader amid economic turmoil. He called for a shift towards “new politics” and cautioned that Nawaz would revert to his old ways if elected for the fourth time. Bilawal also criticized Imran Khan for relying on the “umpire’s finger” in his political maneuvers.
