RAWALPINDI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will lead a campaign to mobilise old workers and supporters for a public meeting scheduled to be held on December 5 at the Parade Ground Islamabad in connection with the party’s golden jubilee celebrations.

A special van fitted with a large screen has been prepared which will be used by the party chairman to address public meetings via video link in different parts of the district.

This was conveyed to the local leadership of the party after a meeting with PPP General Secretary Nayyar Hussain Bukhari at the party central office. After this, PPP Rawalpindi chapter President Babar Jadoon convened a meeting to select sites for the public meetings in the city.

Old workers and supporters to be persuaded to attend public meeting at Parade Ground in connection with party’s golden jubilee celebrations

“We have finalised a plan to launch the campaign for the golden jubilee celebration of the party and in this regard party workers will bring out torchbearer, motorcycle rallies and corner meetings in all the union councils,” said PPP city spokesman Nasir Mir.

He said at least four public meetings would be held in the constituencies of provincial assemblies so that the party workers would be mobilised. He said the party chairman would address the workers and supporters and listen to their problems through a video link.

The local chapter of the party will meet on Monday to finalise the schedules of the meetings. He said it was expected that a large number of old workers and supporters would join the party’s foundation day celebration to pay tributes to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.

“Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a meeting with the local office-bearers and assigned them duties to meet old party workers in the district.”

He said the party mobilisation campaign would be started from Monday with the installation of banners and posters in the city to convey the message of the party chairman to the citizens.

“Earlier, the golden jubilee celebrations were supposed to start from November 30 but due to Rabiul Awwal 12 the date was changed to December 5,” he said.

On the other hand, a senior leader of the PPP told Dawn that the party wanted to make the public meeting successful as it would be the formal launching of preparations for the 2018 general elections.

“After many years, the party has activated its workers and leaders to give tough time to the PML-N in Punjab. We do not consider the PTI as a threat because a real contest will be held between the PPP and the PML-N in Punjab.”

He said many old workers were unhappy with the party leadership for its wrong policies and not making any contact with them in the previous years.

He said the party had called old workers to Islamabad for a meeting with the chairman but the local leaders did not convey the message to them.

“The idea to address old workers through a video link is an effort to listen to their problems and grievances,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2017