KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday predicted a “smooth and clear” victory for Hasil Bizenjo — the consensus candidate of the opposition parties — as the new chairman of the Senate.

Addressing a press conference at the Bilawal House, he alleged that the government was using a backdoor channel to contact senators from the opposition parties, offering them huge money and other benefits. However, the government was yet to get any success as none of the contacted members had shown any flexibility in favour of the ruling party, he added.

“I have even suggested our senators to accept their money but vote only for the opposition candidate,” remarked Mr Bhutto-Zardari. “But let me tell you that we are in contact with the people of the government, who we believe would vote for the opposition candidate. I see very clear and smooth win for our consensus opposition candidate Hasil Bizenjo to become the new Senate chairman. I don’t have any doubt about it,” he said.

The PPP chairman also referred to the recent visit of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to the United States and expressed concern over a few “short-sighted” commitments made by the government to the world super power.

PPP leader accuses government of trying to buy loyalty of opposition senators

“We believe that we should not overpromise to anyone — whether it’s the US or NATO,” said the PPP chairman. “[Imran] Khan should not overpromise Afghanistan. Pakistan should not pretend that it would solve all problems in Afghanistan. We should offer only what we can do. This is all I suggest because in case of failure, we should not allow ourselves to be scapegoated,” he said.

Referring to the PPP’s victory in by-polls on the National Assembly seat in Ghotki, Mr Bhutto-Zardari called it the beginning of the “electoral downfall” of the “selected party”.

“If you stand with the puppet, you would lose every time you contest in the free and fair environment. I want to thank the poor people of Ghotki, who chose to stand with democracy and its true forces and rejected every fear, greed and influence to vote for their representatives,” he said.

Earlier, while talking to reporters after meeting Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) office-bearers, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting (SAPM) Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the defeat of the PTI-supported candidate in Ghotki by polls was reflection of the PPP’s “feudal mindset and anti-democracy practices”.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2019