2018 polls will be my first and Imran’s last: Bilawal

CHITRAL: Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Saturday that the 2018 general elections would be his first and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s last polls in the country. Bilawal Bhutto said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif wanted to use Article 62, 63 of the Constitution against his political opponents which is why he opposed the PPP’s attempts to do away with the law. “We had repeatedly said that the law was introduced by a dictator and is against the spirit of Constitution but Nawaz Sharif did not budge. Now he himself has fallen prey to it,” said Bilawal addressing a rally here. He said that Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan are the same sides of the one coin, adding that both are hungry for power and chair. Addressing a large public gathering at Chitral, Bilawal Bhutto said that the PPP had always given priority to Chitral. “Chitral is my second home after Larkana,” the PPP chief said. “It was also the home of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.” Taking a jab at ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif who inaugurated the Lowari Tunnel in July, Bilawal said, “Nawaz Sharif’s politics of hypocrisy has reached its end.” The PPP leader added that Nawaz should not be happy by thinking that he has been spared after being disqualified; he will have to be answerable for the loot and plunder of the nation’s wealth. “The PML-N leader was disqualified on the articles of the Constitution introduced by a dictator,” said Bilawal. “We reminded them time and again that these had been unconstitutionally inducted in the Constitution, but they did not pay heed.” Bilawal went on to say that “Nawaz wanted to use these Articles against his political rivals, but was disqualified by the same.” “There is no difference between Nawaz and Imran Khan,” Bilawal said that and accused PTI of pocketing the money meant for development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Asking where is PTI’s oft-quoted ‘Naya Pakistan’, saying youth of K-P are jobless while educated women were parting ways with the party. The PPP chairman questioned as to why Imran’s politics was replete with allegations and mudslinging. Bilawal lashed out at PTI Chairman Imran Khan and challenged him that next general election will be proved his first but Imrans’ last. He said that the politics of hypocrisy by the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president has ended, adding that Nawaz should not be under the impression that he can now walk away and will be held accountable for “money looted from the masse [and] injustices towards the poor and the farmers”. Taking a jibe at Imran Khan, Bilawal said that Imran’s politics is based on abuse and hurling insults at others, and asked him to also question Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak “who is facing allegations of corruption”. He also asked why there has been a sudden rise in “educated women leaving PTI”, referring to the incident of former PTI member Ayesha Gulalai, who has leveled serious allegations of harassment against Imran Khan. “Khan Sahib before hurling allegations on my father, must tell nation that why your father was removed from his job,” The charged PPP workers warmly welcomed the PPP chairman and danced on party songs. Bilawal highlighted corruption in KP said that the kitchen of Imran and plane of Tareen was running by the corruption in KP development work contract. He continued, “PTI restarted abusive language in rallies as in past it was done by the PML-N but now it becomes trend in politics to calls name against opponents.” He urged that accountability should be don everyone as PPP firmly believe on just and respect the judiciary. He also slammed the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for irregularities in the governance. Bilawal criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan saying he points fingers on everyone and abuses them. He said that PPP will compete against both PML-N and PTI, adding that it will be his first election and their last. I believe in accountability, but it should be across the board, he said that while assuring that PPP respects the freedom of judiciary and expects justice from them. “PPP is the party of farmers,” he claimed. The son of ex-President Asif Zardari promised to upgrade Benazir Income Support Programme and launch ambulance service in the smaller cities of Sindh. We will create opportunities of employment for the youth after coming into power, he vowed. He said that the politics of hypocrisy by the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president has ended, adding that Nawaz should not be under the impression that he can now walk away and will be held accountable for “money looted from the masses…[and] injustices towards the poor and the farmers”.