As the February 8 general elections approached, tensions heightened between the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPP-P) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The PPP-P accused the PML-N of resorting to illicit methods to secure power for the fourth time.
In an interview with international media, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the prime ministerial candidate for PPP-P, asserted that Nawaz Sharif, the leader of PML-N, sought to exert pressure on the administration to influence the election outcomes.
Bilawal has consistently accused Nawaz of attempting a backdoor return to power for the fourth term, suggesting that Nawaz was relying on unconventional methods rather than popular support. Nawaz, a three-time former prime minister, ended his self-imposed exile in London in October of the previous year, aiming for a fourth stint in power.
In the course of the interview, Bilawal criticized the caretaker government and the administration, alleging their bias in favor of Nawaz. When asked about a potential alliance between PPP and PML-N, Bilawal deemed it challenging, highlighting that the current PML-N differed significantly from the party that had signed the Charter of Democracy (CoD) and emphasized the slogan “respect the vote.”
The CoD, established in 2006 in London by former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz, focused on a joint struggle against dictatorship. Bilawal expressed doubts about the caretaker government succumbing to PML-N pressure but remained optimistic that the PPPP would emerge victorious and form the next government.
He emphasized the importance of free, fair, and transparent elections, advocating for a level playing field for all political parties to restore the credibility of the electoral process in the country.
