PPP ‘accustomed to’ contesting polls sans level playing field: Bilawal

Highlighting that the PPP never had a level playing field in the general elections, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said his party had now become accustomed to contesting the polls despite the odds being turned against them.

“For PPP, there was never a level playing field. We are used to (contesting) without even having a level playing field,” he said while addressing a workers’ convention in Peshawar.

Giving a recap of the past, the former foreign minister told the workers that PPP won the 1988 elections despite the formation of a united political alliance known as Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) with the backing of the then establishment.

“You all tell me that in 1988 what kind of a level playing field was given? Do you remember or not? In 1988 they made a united alliance by the name of IJI,” he said. “But still Benazir Bhutto won the election and became the first female prime minister of the country.”

He then highlighted how the 2002 election under the late military ruler General Pervez Musharraf was “snatched away” from the PPP.

“I want to make you remember the 2002 election. Even then PPP performed well. But some people turned out to be sell outs. Benazir termed them ‘Pakistan People’s Parasites’,” Bilawal added.

Questioning the alleged impartiality of the 2008 elections which the PPP won, he said 200 workers were killed in the first pre-election rally held on October 18, 2007, adding that the party’s leadership (Benazir) was also assassinated later that year on December 27.

“But still the election was postponed. It had to take place within a week but they took 40 days. Despite all that, the PPP won the election and formed a government.”

Bilawal made it clear that if somone thinks that they can forcibly make someone the prime minister, they are wrong. He said PPP activists were present in the field as he vowed to not become part of any future IJI and contest on his party’s symbol, the arrow.

The PPP chairman reiterated that the people were fed up with “old politicians” leading the country, asking why make someone the prime minister for the fourth time when one can be picked from the youth.

Bilawal shed some light on his accomplishments as the foreign minister, saying that he needed to be elected as the prime minister if he wanted to do more for the country.

Vowing to bury the “old politics” practised in the country, Bilawal said he would work for the betterment of the people and Pakistan’s modernisation to transform it into a powerful country if he comes to power.

He also requested the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to not fight among themselves.

“If you forget these differences, no one can defeat you,” the PPP chief said. “I promise you that if you support me, we won’t need anyone else.”