PML-N has no ideology: Bilawal Bhutto

Liaquat Ali

Shahdadpur: Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Wednesday that the PML-N in Punjab and the group of political orphans contesting elections in Sindh have no ideology nor manifesto.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while addressing the people of Sanghar, said that they should make the PPP successful with an ‘overwhelming majority’, so that he can take maximum steps for the welfare and progress of the people of entire Pakistan, including Sanghar as Prime Minister. He promised that the ‘people’s government’ at the Centre under his leadership would double the salaries, provide 300 units of solar power for poor families free of cost, expand the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), provide interest-free loans for poor women to start small businesses, build 3 million house units for homeless families, and give ownership rights of such houses to the women of the family. Additionally, he pledged to issue the Benazir Kisan Card for peasants, Benazir Mazdoor Card for workers, and Benazir Youth Card for the youth, establish Youth Centers at the district level, and launch the ‘Bhook Mitao Program’ to fight hunger and malnutrition.

According to the press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, the PPP chairman, while addressing a Jalsa as part of the general election campaign in Shahdadpur city of Sanghar district, said that in the elections to be held on February 8, the contest is now between the Arrow and the Lion, but only Jiyalas are present in the field. “The lion is hiding in the house as a cat, (and) from there asking that someone else should hunt for it, (and) someone else should make arrangements against its opponent. It is the tiger that sucks the blood of the people, the poor, the farmers, and the laborers. This is the tiger that you (people) have to hunt on February 8,” he added.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PML-N’s symbol in Punjab is the lion, while those who are contesting under the Star symbol are the former’s facilitators. He continued: “You have to clean sweep Sanghar on February 8, [and] wipe them out completely. I want a landslide majority (in the election), a landslide majority. You are my strength, the more power you give me, the more I will be able to work for you. I appeal to the people of Sindh to support the PPP, which represents you. I want to do (development) work in Sindh’s nook and corner. For the first time in history, Jiyalas have been elected mayors of Karachi and Hyderabad.”

The PPP chairman said that his party is an ideological party, but those who want to be imposed as the prime minister for the fourth time have neither ideology nor any manifesto. “The group of political orphans contesting elections here in Sanghar also has no ideology or manifesto,” he pointed out. He said the PPP was the only party that believed in the people as it was taught by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that “the source of power is the people.” “I am contesting elections to fulfill the unfinished mission of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,” he added.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Pakistan is currently surrounded by several severe problems, but the rest of the parties do not even realize it, who are contesting elections for their own personal interests. “There is one ‘Sahib’ who is contesting elections to escape from jail, and another ‘Sahib’ is contesting elections to get out of jail. (But) I am contesting elections for you (public) to rid you of inflation, unemployment, and poverty,” he contended.

Terming the ‘People’s Economic Charter’ as his 10 promises, he assured the people that as prime minister, he would not breathe a sigh of relief till these 10 promises were fulfilled.

The PPP chairman said that it is the stance of PML-N and GDA that there is no money in the country, so the 18th Amendment and NFC should be abolished. “I was in Islamabad for 18 months, I know there is money and resources in the country. But you (PML-N and its allies) don’t want to spend money on people,” he added.

He said that there are currently 17 such ministries in the Center, which are not needed there, and reiterated that he would invest the amount spent annually on those 17 ministries and Rs 1,500 per annum in the form of subsidies to the elite for the welfare of the people. “You (people) make me prime minister, I will stop this forever. We know how to take away our rights,” he said.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PPP candidates are in the fray for both national assembly seats in Sanghar district. “One is my sister Shazia Marri and the other is my brother Alauddin Junejo. You have to make them victorious them with a big lead. These are my representatives; they will be your voice in the National Assembly,” he said, and also appealed to vote for the PPP candidates, Ali Hassan Hengorjo, Jam Shabbir Ali, Naveed Dero, Paras Dero, and Shahid Thaheem, who are contesting Sindh Assembly seats in Sanghar district.

The PPP chairman also took oath in front of the public from the candidates contesting the general elections on the Arrow symbol in Sanghar that they will fulfill their responsibilities for the welfare of the people after winning the election. He also appealed to the people of Sanghar that they would come out in large numbers on February 8 and make the PPP successful by stamping the Arrow on the ballot paper.