THATTA: Amidst widespread protests across the country against alleged significant electoral fraud in the February 8 general elections, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has issued a warning of potential protest action if “democracy or the federation is under threat.”
Speaking at a Youm-e-Tashakur rally in Thatta on Sunday to commemorate the election triumph in Sindh, Bilawal urged his party supporters to mobilize on his call, drawing parallels to the activism witnessed during the tenure of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his slain mother, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Bilawal emphasized that the PPP championed the slogan of “Pakistan khappay” to quell the flames of political uncertainty erupting across all four provinces.
He announced intentions to lodge complaints regarding electoral fraud in the February 8 polls with the appropriate legal channels. However, he cautioned that if justice was not served through these avenues, the party would take to the streets alongside the masses.
Despite this stance, the former foreign minister clarified that he does not endorse street protests, as such actions could potentially harm the country and its unity.
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Bilawal recounted incidents of violence targeting PPP supporters in various regions, asserting that the party’s mandate had been compromised.
He affirmed that the formation of the upcoming government in Sindh would be determined solely based on Form 45, a requisite document for election result certification.
As per provisional results from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) (Form 47), the PPP secured 54 National Assembly (NA) seats and claimed 84 seats in Sindh, along with 11 in Balochistan, 10 in Punjab, and four in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Bilawal’s party is poised to establish government in Sindh for the fourth consecutive term and has announced plans to form a coalition government in Balochistan with the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
While lending support to the PML-N at the federal level, the PPP opted out of assuming ministerial positions.
Bilawal named his father, Asif Ali Zardari, as the party’s nominee for the presidency, expressing confidence in Zardari’s ability to stabilize the federation and alleviate political tensions.
He urged all political factions to prioritize the interests of the people over their own agendas, emphasizing the importance of reconciliation and collective action to safeguard democracy and the federation.
Bilawal stressed the urgency of addressing the country’s challenges and encouraged political parties to address allegations of electoral fraud through appropriate channels. Additionally, he reiterated that it is not his prerogative to vie for the prime ministerial position, asserting the party’s focus on resolving the issues facing the populace.
