On Monday, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), accused Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), of exerting pressure on the administration to manipulate election results. Bhutto-Zardari has repeatedly alleged that Nawaz is attempting to make a backdoor return to power for the fourth time. Last month, the former foreign minister stated that Nawaz was relying on factors other than popular support to become the prime minister.
Nawaz ended his four-year self-imposed exile in London in October of the previous year, marking his fourth attempt at returning to power. In an interview, the PPP chairman criticized the caretaker government and the administration, claiming bias in favor of Nawaz.
READ MORE: US Security Alert for Pakistan’s General Elections.
When asked about a possible alliance between PPP and PML-N, Bilawal expressed difficulty, highlighting that the current PML-N differs from the party that signed the Charter of Democracy (CoD) in 2006 with a commitment to a joint struggle against dictatorship. He emphasized that the PML-N of today, with a mentality reminiscent of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), is aspiring for Nawaz to become Amirul Momineen.
The CoD, a pact between former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz, aimed at a united effort against dictatorship. Despite concerns about PML-N’s influence, Bilawal hoped that the caretaker government would not succumb to pressure and interfere in the upcoming polls. He expressed optimism about PPP forming the next government after winning the elections.
Bilawal underscored 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.
