RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab president Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Sunday said the march being led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will bring a change in the country.

He said the PPP would give a surprise in the next local government elections in Rawalpindi as well as other parts of Punjab.

Addressing a workers’ convention at Liaquat Bagh, he said the workers were ready to give a warm welcome to the ‘Awami March’ of the party chairperson on March 6 in Rawalpindi.

A large number of PPP workers attended the convention. They arrived in Liaquat Bagh in rallies. Former chief minister Gilgit-Baltistan Mehdi Shah and other senior leaders were also present. Special security arrangements were made in the area. City Police Officer Umer Saeed Malik visited the venue in the afternoon to review the security arrangements.

Says millions will join ‘Awami March’ in Rawalpindi on March 6

Mr Ashraf said the government had made the lives of people miserable as they were unable to pay their utility bills.

“When there was Rs10 per unit electricity, the prime minister was being described as a thief and now electricity is available at Rs30 per unit and what should we call the present prime minister,” he said.

He said there has been a 500pc increase in prices of medicines. In an agricultural country like Pakistan, he said, fertilisers and standard seeds are not available or out of the reach of the farmers.

He said Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was coming to rid the masses of inflation, unemployment and injustices. He said the entire opposition has agreed to send the government packing.

Talking about the workers, he said time has come to stand up and send the government home. He said if the present rulers remained in power, people would not be able to even get bread and Pakistan will stand isolated in the world.

He said the PPP had launched Benazir Income Support Programme, increased salaries by 120pc and brought down prices of edibles.

“Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has come out with courage. Let’s us support him. If the Awami March enters Rawalpindi, millions of people will join it as people have become fed up with the governance.”

The PPP leader alleged that the PTI government was the most corrupt one in the history of the country and “we would send it home and put the country on the right direction and enhance the living standard of the masses.”

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2022