Bilawal Bhutto asks Nawaz Sharif not to ‘disrespect vote’

QUETTA: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has asked PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to ensure that the sanctity of the vote is respected as verbal duel between the two major political parties continues ahead of general elections, scheduled to be held in February 2024, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Bilawal Bhutto has time and again targeted veteran politicians, including three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, asking them to call it a day and allowing youth to take up the reins of the country.

For the past few days, PPP and PML-N have been trading barbs after the Bilawal-led party accused the caretaker government of supporting the Nawaz League and not providing it a ‘level-playing field’ – a claim which the interim set-up has denied.

The ties between two parties – which served as coalition partners under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif – have been strained after their government ended.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta today, the former foreign minister asked Nawaz Sharif to contest the upcoming general elections “on his manifesto instead of the administration’s support”.

“He [Nawaz] should ensure respect for the ‘vote’ and not disrespect it,” Bilawal Bhutto said, reiterating his allegation that PPP wasn’t being provided the same ‘level-playing field’ as the PML-N.

The PPP chairman further said that it was time to introduce a new style of politics as “the politics revolving around hatred are not going to be great for our country”.

Criticising both PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Nawaz, he urged the people not to hand over the fate of the country to the two leaders whose politics of hatred, division, and ignoring major issues had lessened the “value of the people’s blood”.

The former foreign minister emphasised that the fate of the country rested with its people, especially those in Balochistan. “We trust the people of Pakistan; we are certain that you will heed our call,” he added.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that PPP leadership decided not to make seat adjustments with PML-N in the upcoming general election 2024 and termed it a ‘loss trade’.

Sources close to the development revealed that the PPP leadership will not make any seat adjustments with PML-N in any constituency across the country.

Sources disclosed that certain leaders suggested engaging in seat adjustment with PML-N after which the PPP leadership sought opinions from other leaders on the matter of the seat adjustments, however, the provincial leaders of the PPP expressed concerns and rejected the proposal.