Daily Times

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari wrapped up his campaign trail in southern Punjab with a rally in Multan, which was also intercepted for a while by the district administration.

Earlier during his tour, Bilawal had addressed gatherings in Uch Sharif and Khangarh. His convoy was stopped in Uch Sharif as well while it was on its way to a shrine.

Addressing the participants at the Multan rally, Bilawal continued his emphasis on proposals included in the party’s manifesto for the agriculture sector, besides highlighting measures to tackle joblessness and poverty and promises to promote social welfare policies.

He said, “My relation with the people of Pakistan is based not just on politics. It is also a bond of affection and loyalty to a cause for which generations [of the Bhutto family] have given sacrifices.”

“I am not doing politics of [hurling] abuses or of [settling] personal grudges. I talk only about the manifesto of PPP. I will follow in the footsteps of my mother and grandfather, and fulfill each and every promise I make to the voters,” Bilawal said, appealing to the gathering, “This is my first election and you have to be my strength. Vote for PPP candidates in your constituencies.”

Bilawal said he was contesting the election to uphold the public good by providing affordable education and free-of-cost health facilities.

He said that the problems faced by the youth, farmers, labourers, minorities and women could be solved if people voted for the PPP because it was the only party with a track record of people-friendly governments. “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto distributed thousands of acres of land among poor farmers and ended their exploitation. Farmers were prosperous during the tenure of PPP,” he said.

On the issue of poverty reduction, Bilawal said that his party planned to start distribution of food cards to end malnutrition. “PPP is the only party that has always fought against poverty and unemployment. 800,000 families are benefiting from poverty reduction programmes launched in Sindh. Similar schemes will be started in rest of the country as well,” he said, taking a pause to chant a slogan in the memory of his mother Benazir Bhutto Bibi ayegi, rozgaar layegi (When Benazir Bhutto will come to power, she will arrange jobs for the people).

“God Willing, after coming o power, PPP will set up a ministry dedicated to provision of employment opportunities to the youth,” Bilawal said.

He said that provision of housing facilities to the people was a feature of the party’s manifesto since the days of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. “PPP government will construct houses for homeless people. Roti Kapra or Makaan (food, clothing and shelter) is still the slogan of PPP, and it has always struggled to implement it,” he said, adding that he had joined politics to complete the incomplete mission of Benzair Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The PPP chairman also addressed the rally at Thana Choowk, Shujaabad.

Earlier, Multan deputy commissioner Mudassir Riyaz arbitrarily cancelled a permission letter issued to the PPP for the rally. In a statement to the media, the Multan DC said that rallies were not allowed under the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) code of conduct [the ECP code doesn’t impose a blanket ban on rallies].

Meanwhile, the PPP rally that had started from the Bilawal House in NA 154, the constituency of Abdul Qadir Gillani, continued on Bosan Road and in Qasba Marral area, ending in NA-158, the constituency of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.

Addressing the rally, Gillani urged the ECP to take notice of hurdles created in the way of the party’s campaign in southern Punjab by the district administrations. He said that ahead of the last general election, terrorists targeted the party’s campaign, and now it was ‘under attack by the administration’.

PPP office bearers and workers also staged protest against the Multan DC.

Published in Daily Times, July 10^th 2018.