Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has announced holding more anti-government protests across the country to “restore ‘real’ democracy in the country”.

“Our demand is to restore democracy,” he said in his address at a party rally in Karachi held to mark the 12th anniversary of the 2007 Karsaz bomb blasts. The event also marked the beginning of a series of anti-government protests. “We don’t accept this artificial democracy… the democratic and socioeconomic rights of the masses shall be restored… and for this Imran Khan has to resign.”

The PPP chairman said the incumbent government had lost its credibility, as he did not fulfil any of his electoral promises.

Earlier, Bilawal had announced challenging the result of PS-11 Larkana by-polls, where the party suffered a defeat at the hands of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

“We will challenge this rigging at every forum. The truth can’t be hidden. We will expose this selection. We will have a re-election and take back this seat,” the PPP chairman said in a series of tweets.

He alleged that the PPP candidate was not even allowed inside the polling stations. “We kept asking ECP to intervene but its malafide intent was apparent in its silence. Despite all this political engineering PPP has reduced the GDA/JUIF/PTI lead by 5,000 votes in less than a year,” he said. “We will challenge this rigging at every forum. The truth can’t be hidden. We will expose this selection. We will have a re-election and take back this seat,” he added.

PPP’s Jameel Ahmed Soomro managed to secure 26,021 votes against GDA’s Moazzam Ali Khan Abbasi, who received 31,557 votes to retain the seat. “I’m proud of PPP workers for fighting an honourable election. Despite immense pressure from the establishment. From pre-poll with NAB arresting and sending notices to PPP workers and their families,” Bilawal said. “I’m proud of PPP workers for fighting an honourable election. Despite immense pressure form the establishment. From pre-poll with NAB arresting & sending notices to PPP workers & their families,” the PPP chief tweeted. “On polling day, Rangers took over the inside of polling stations. Harassed our women voters, threw out our polling agents, and deliberately slowed polling. Women polling stations where PPP preforms well were purposely started hours late,” he continued. “Since morning media was reporting women voters they were threatened them to vote for GDA. Despite our pleas, ECP did not take notice,” he added.