Pakistan Peoples Party picks Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as PM candidate

PAKISTAN Peoples Party (PPP), one of Pakistan's major political players, has nominated its chairman and the country's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as its official prime minister candidate ahead of the general elections scheduled for February 8, a Pakistani media report on Thursday (4) said.

The PPP's Central Executive Committee (CEC) spoke in detail the party's campaign for the upcoming election as well as its manifesto, which decided to give priority to youth and women empowerment, employment, health, and education, The News International reported.

Soon after the meeting late on Wednesday (3) evening, a detailed post on PPP's official X handle with photos of the meeting informed that members of the CEC expressed their confidence in the leadership of party president and former Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari and chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“President Asif Ali Zardari presented the name of chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the candidate for the prime minister on behalf of Pakistan Peoples Party. The CEC has endorsed Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the prime ministerial candidate of PPP,” the party posted on X.

The 35-year-old son of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is contesting from Lahore (NA-127) constituency, where he would compete with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shaista Pervaiz Malik and a candidate backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

PPP leaders including secretary general Taj Haider, Syed Khursheed Shah, Rana Farooq Saeed Khan, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Samina Khalid Ghurki, Murad Ali Shah, Chaudhry Aslam Gill, and Ali Badr were present at the meeting.

The newspaper report further quoted Bilawal, as talking to the media after the meeting, “Gen Zia imposed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on us and Gen Faiz Hameed imposed the PTI. He said both the PML-N and PTI were representative of the ruling elite. Both were unable to address the issues confronted by the country.” “The PPP is the only party that always came up with its vision and manifesto before polls and kept people on priority,” said Bilawal, flanked by Haider and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had also served as the prime minister of Pakistan and was hanged by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq.

(With PTI inputs)