Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday expressed his confidence that the 11-party anti-government alliance, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), would come out triumphant in the Senate elections, adding that the victory of the alliance’s joint candidate would usher in a new age of democracy.
“Insha’Allah, Senate elections will be a victory for democracy and for democratic candidates. And Yousuf Raza Gillani’s win will usher in a new chapter of democracy,” the PPP chairman said while addressing a press conference in Lahore alongside the aforementioned joint candidate, Gillani.
He thanked the other parties of the alliance for placing their faith in the senior PPP leader, adding that the PDM’s Inflation March would take place at the end of next month.
“Yousuf Raza Gillani (when he was premier) would respond to questions from the government and opposition, come to the parliament, give everyone respect […] because you are the leader of the entire House, not your own political party,” he said, adding that the opus was now on the voters to decide upon a candidate that would assure the betterment of the country.
“This is a test for the members of our assembly. Will you vote according to the people’s expectations or out of fear of Imran Khan?” Bilawal asked.
He asserted that the PDM was as united as it had ever been, and explained that the anti-government coalition was focused on the Senate elections for now, but it would soon revisit the idea of the no-confidence motion.
The PPP chairman said PDM has been “working against the illegitimate, incompetent and unqualified government from day one”.
“We know we are descending down on the battlefield with fewer votes. We know it seems our numbers are low. But even with these small numbers, we are giving the government a tough time,” he maintained.
Responding to a question about the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) strongman Jahangir Khan Tareen’s return to the party fold, Bilawal said that the PDM might not be able to compete with the “airplane poses” but they would do so on the basis of “our character and democracy.”
He also accused the PTI was utilising “dictatorial tactics” and weaponising the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the opposition. “We must move forward according to the people’s expectations and not because of pressure from some other quarters,” Bilawal maintained.
Echoing the statement issued by PPP senior leader Gillani earlier this week, he expressed his belief that the institutions are playing a neutral role ahead of the Senate polls and he said that this must be welcomed.
While the incumbent government’s lawmakers, as well as the Supreme Court’s (SC) chief justice, have both expressed their disappointment with the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for not uploading the agreement between them, the Charter of Democracy, Bilawal stated that he wishes for it to be implemented.
The PPP chairman said that he recognises it will be better for Pakistan and for the People’s Party as well.
The party chairman added that any amendment to the law or Constitution can only be brought through the parliament. He said that after the Senate polls, the opposition will work on election reforms.
Earlier in the day, the PPP chief arrived in Lahore, where he is likely to stay for three days in connection with the preparations of Senate polls. He will hold meetings with his party’s lawmaker’s at Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood’s residence.
Concluding his address, Bilawal surmised that the short-term goal of the PDM was to overthrow the ruling party; while its long-term goal, he added superfluously, was the “supremacy of democracy”.
