PPP to consider political alliances once election schedule is announced: Bilawal
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday said the PPP would deliberate on forming political alliances once the election date is announced.
With elections potentially just a few months away, Bilawal has been engaging in public gatherings and organising party meetings as part of the party’s electoral preparations of late.
Responding to a question while addressing a press conference in Okara, Bilawal said: “Ask me what alliance I’m going for or not [with any other party] when the election schedule is announced.”
The PPP chairman reiterated his request to the ECP to announce the date for the upcoming polls and their schedule. He added that such a move would address any concern of the PPP or any other party.
Bilawal also talked about the party’s recent request to co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to raise their complaints regarding an “uneven playing field” with all quarters concerned, and requested him to pull through with the responsibility he was given.
“Otherwise, I request Zardari sahib to not tie my hands,” he added.
The PPP chairman also expressed his well wishes for new Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and said he hoped that the judge would improve the Supreme Court’s affairs.
PPP rules out PTI alliance as PDM parties drift
Bilawal’s comments came after the PPP rejected even the possibility of such an alliance with the PTI while the member parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) drift apart.
When Bilawal was questioned about political dialogue with the PTI on Friday, he had said that before May 9, the PPP was trying to have a dialogue with every political force for elections but the PTI had decided to attack the Lahore corps commander house, GHQ and other army installations.
“We can have a dialogue with those not involved in the attacks of May 9. Our doors are open for negotiations with non-militant entities,” Bilawal had said.
Meanwhile, though it has not been officially announced, the largest political alliance in the country, PDM, has become ‘defunct’ and the larger political parties with considerable vote banks think they do not need the platform anymore.
Smaller players, on the other hand, still hope for its revival ahead of polls likely to be held at the start of next year.
Two years after its formation, PDM leaders are not even interested in convening any meetings of the alliance. Its key members were striving to form new strategies for the upcoming elections.