PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday advised PML-N party supremo, Nawaz Sharif to “focus on Lahore” for the upcoming general elections and try to remedy the city’s woes as the ex-premier arrived in Quetta in an effort to form strategic alliances in all provinces ahead of the Feb 8 polls.
The PML-N has been engaging Sindh-based political parties in what appears to be an attempt to create an alliance against the PPP in the province.
At a recent meeting, the PML-N had agreed to a demand of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to support a constitutional reform package that would include a legal cover for the local government and disbursement of funds to districts through a provincial finance commission.
In response, the PPP has mainly targeted the MQM-P for demanding changes to the Constitution and warned the PML-N to not expect loyalty from those who had betrayed their founder.
Questioned about the PML-N’s outreach during a press conference in Mithi today, Bilawal said everyone had the right to go to every province and conduct their politics.
“I think Nawaz has been advised that because there have been difficulties created for the PML-N in Lahore, so he has been pained to go to other provinces for seats.
“My advice would be that he should focus on Lahore and he should try and address the problems there. Maybe that’ll bring better results for him,” he said.
Bilawal said that he had no difference with any political party or a “fight” with any institution.
“We welcome them. Our whole contention with them was that they did not come here,” he said in response to a question regarding Nawaz’s visit to different provinces to woo politicians.
Bilawal said no party would oppose different political parties visiting different provinces, however, he added that PML-N should “still try to have confidence and trust their own party and politics” while carrying out these visits.
“Do politics through your own party, do not ask other institutions to carry out your politics for you and create space for you.
“The right thing would be that PML-N does politics on its own weight, be it here or in Balochistan,” he said.
Bilawal concluded his media talk by saying that he was “proud” to contest the upcoming elections on the basis of his performance as the foreign minister.
“Ask Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Khurram Dastgir, Saad Rafique, Ayaz Sadiq and Ahsan Iqbal — are they ready to contest on their performance over the last 15-16 months? Or are they hiding their faces?”
Nawaz arrives in Quetta
Meanwhile, Nawaz and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on a two-day visit to Balochistan as part of their party’s policy to form strategic alliances in all provinces ahead of the Feb 8 general elections.
PML-N senior leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had claimed that Nawaz would hold political meetings in Quetta where “several electables” would announce joining his party. According to sources, some former and incumbent leaders belonging to the Balochistan Awami Party may announce joining the PML-N during Nawaz’s visit and it seems more interested in seat adjustment with PML-N.
According to a statement posted by the PML-N on X (formerly Twitter), Nawaz and Shehbaz met the political leadership in the province on Tuesday, which “appreciated the passion and thinking of Nawaz Sharif for the development of the country, especially Balochistan”.
The statement quoted Nawaz as saying that the development of the province was always dear to the party. He said that his party initiated the process of laying down a network of roads in an effort to eradicate poverty.
He regretted that the development work begun by his government was halted. He said that the PML-N had always taken parties on board and would do so in the future.
Addressing the gathered political leadership, Nawaz said Quetta used to be a “clean, beautiful and peaceful city” and rued if only the momentum of the city’s development had continued.
The party also shared images of Nawaz wearing a turban on X, saying that it was a way for the PML-N leader to “show his respect for the people and their traditions”.
