—— Adds ‘once and for all, let’s bury revenge politics’
—— Vows to outperform “Showbaz”, “Wasim Akram plus”
—— Advocates 10-point plan to end economic hardships
By Abid Usman
LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters to rally behind his party in the upcoming general elections, pledging to put an end to the politics of revenge and division.
“I’ve experienced the oppression of PML-N myself, and I wouldn’t want any political party worker to go through such difficulties,” he said during a rally in Lahore.
On the occasion, Bilawal targeted the former coalition partner with strong criticism, questioning how long the people of Punjab would endure the alternating rule of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Wasim Akram plus (PTI’s Usman Buzdar) in Lahore.
Accusing the PML-N of engaging in vengeful politics with full force and terrorising workers of the PTI, Bilawal highlighted the PPP’s consistent opposition to retaliatory politics and advocacy for the release of political prisoners.
Appealing to the youth aligned with PTI, Bilawal urged them to cast their votes in the upcoming elec-tions. He empathised with the struggles faced by PPP supporters under the rule of the PML-N and urged the nation to steer clear of the divisive politics of the 1990s.
“Those who used to chant slogans of vote ko izzat do (give respect to vote) are nowhere to be found,” he said, referring to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Bilawal reminded that those who now mock the PPP’s limited presence in Lahore have forgotten that the city warmly welcomed Benazir Bhutto, and in turn, she was elected as the prime minister of the country.
The PPP chairman highlighted his 10-point welfare agenda, emphasising that upon assuming power, 17 federal ministries would be abolished and the elites would no longer receive subsidies. Instead, he added, the funds saved from these decisions would be spent on the welfare of the people.
“If you make me the prime minister, your salaries will be doubled in five years. We will provide free electricity for up to 300 units through solar panels. Cards will be provided to women and farmers,” Bi-lawal promised.
