MANSEHRA: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has reasserted that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are two sides of the same coin and predicted that his party will sweep the general elections next year.

“I want to make it clear to those who are in doubt about the polls that current parliament will complete its term, general elections will be held on time and we will emerge as the winning party because the PTI and PML-N are two the sides of the same coin and have done nothing except cheating people,” he said at a news conference in Kaghan on Sunday.

Earlier, the PPP chief addressed a public meeting for hardly four minutes, leaving surprised the people who had gathered to hear his views on the prevailing situation.

PML-N, PTI termed two sides of the same coin

He told reporters that the PPP had honoured verdicts delivered by the Supreme Court against its leaders and those who were now deviating from the legal course should avoid it and obey the court orders.

“I don’t want to say much on the internal family conflict for gaining the Raiwind rule but suggest that everyone should respect the apex court’s verdicts in letter and spirit,” he said in an obvious reference to the Sharif family.

The PPP chairman also made it clear that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would be completed in time because it was not the outcome of an agreement between a family and Beijing, but a contract between the two countries.

He said the committees that held their meetings in Sindh about the law and order situation should also meet in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas over the killings happening there.

He said democracy was not in any danger and it would remain intact although rulers might come and go.

“Terrorists have always targeted the PPP and its leaders and we are still ready to face them because this is our country, not theirs,” he said.

PPP’s popularity

Addressing the public meeting, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said PTI chairman Imran Khan should not get upset over his popularity in KP, adding that Abhi to party shuru hui hay [the party has just begun].

“My party made Pakistan an atomic power and launched the Benazir Income Support Programme for poor families and people respect us. We will continue such schemes in future,” he said.

The PPP chairman said Mr Khan would be welcomed in Sukkur and other areas of Sindh because his party was not afraid of the PTI chief’s election campaign.

He said PPP’s public meetings in Mansehra and Kaghan over the past two days had been highly successful and attracted huge gatherings on which the party leaders deserved an ovation.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2017