Pakistan: PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warns political leaders against joining PML-N

Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has warned political leaders not to join Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as they will lose their "political weightage" if they enter the party's fold, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
He made the statement on Friday while addressing a workers convention in Mardan. He stressed that people tolerated "selected rule" in the past. However, they will not tolerate it anymore.
Criticising PML-N, whom he referred to as 'Mehngai League,' Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, "Those stuck in the politics of the past are still looking for electables," according to Dawn report.
While acknowledging that electables have some political influence, he said that any person who becomes part of PML-N "won't remain an electable anymore".
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, "This is ground reality. People are conscious now" and asked political parties to look towards the people, not left or right, Dawn reported.
He called the PPP a "democratic and federal party" He further said, "We have always trusted people. We want all the parties to trust people too. Trust your politics. Trust your manifesto."
He said, "If someone is imposed again and if selection happens again, people will be at a loss." The PPP chairman said that people were aware of Pakistan's poor economic condition, which has resulted in price hikes, poverty and unemployment.
Calling PPP the only solution to address these problems, he said, "There is only one solution to all of this: to make PPP victorious in the upcoming elections so that the 'rule of the people' can be established -- a government of the farmers, labourers and youngsters, helping the country emerge from the crisis."
He stressed that the politicians in Pakistan are stuck in the past and do not think of the present or future of the country. He stated that his party wanted to end the politics of hatred and division, Dawn reported.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, "Our fight is not with any other political party, but poverty, price hikes and unemployment." He added, "The PPP will find solutions for these with the people by its side. The next government will be of the PSF, PYO and the jiyalas." He stated that the PPP was ready to accept the decision of the people.
On November 10, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the "electoral alliance" between Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) will be more beneficial for his party in the upcoming general election, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
He made the statement after PPP's former allies PML-N and MQM-P announced that they would jointly go into the upcoming general elections. The development comes at a time when the verbal showdown between the PPP and PML-N has intensified since the Election Commission of Pakistan announced to hold elections in Pakistan on February 8, 2024, according to a Geo News report.
The differences between the two parties started after the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led coalition government completed its term in August. PML-N and PPP locked horns over election-related issues, Geo News reported.
Speaking to reporters in Safari Park, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, "We worked hard to make him [Shehbaz Sharif] prime minister. It was the need of the hour." He said that the decision was taken to improve the situation as the country was facing a political and democratic crisis.
He said that the PPP benefited Sindh during the PDM-led government. Without mentioning the name of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari predicted that the king's party" would meet the same fate as that of the 2008 elections.