LAHORE: In a significant political development, leaders from various parties joined the PPP after meeting former president Asif Ali Zardari at Peoples House in Multan on Friday.

Among the prominent leaders who joined the PPP are former city nazim Abdul Majeed Chanar, Malik Usama Advocate and Malik Mumtaz Chanar of the PTI; Abdul Aziz Khulung, Abubakar Khulung, Rubina Shaheen, Khan Muhammed Khan Jatoi and Abdullah Bidani of the PML-N; and Mian Yousuf Abbasi of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan.

PTI leaders Malik Wasif Raan and Tahir Khan, who had joined the PPP last week, also held a meeting with Mr Zardari.

They expressed their confidence in the leadership of Mr Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and promised to work for the welfare of the people and development of the country under the banner of the PPP.

Bilawal asks women workers to relay party’s manifesto to masses

Mr Zardari welcomed the new entrants and said PPP was the only party that represented the aspirations of the people of Pakistan.

He said the PPP would continue to struggle for the restoration of democracy, supremacy of the Constitution and the rights of the provinces, claiming that the PPP would emerge as the largest party in the next general elections and form government at the Centre and in the provinces.

Earlier, Mr Zardari also cut a cake to celebrate the 96th birthday of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, at a ceremony at Peoples Secretariat in Multan.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, PPP south Punjab president Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Changaiz Khan Jamali, Natasha Daultana, Mahmood Hayat Tochi Khan, Khawja Rizwan Alam and Khalid Hanif Lodhi were present on the occasion.

Bilawal’s appeal to voters

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday said if voters wished to make Pakistan a pro-poor, -oppressed and -farmer country, they would have to choose the PPP in the Feb 8 general elections.

Speaking at a women workers’ convention in Kot Lakhpat, an industrial area that falls in National Assembly’s constituency NA-127, from where he is contesting the polls, he said the PPP had been representing the people for three generations, while both the PTI and PML-N were imposed on Punjab by the establishment.

At the beginning of the event, a cake was cut to mark the 96th birthday of ex-PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mr Bhutto-Zardari said it was a pleasure for him to celebrate the occasion in Lahore, where the PPP had been founded.

He said women formed 50 per cent population of the country and they knew more about the national economic crisis and inflation, urging them to go door-to-door as his ambassador and explain to the people that while the rest of the parties represent the elite, the PPP represents the farmers, workers and labourers, and also the 10-point PPP manifesto.

In his brief response to a question about the Senate resolution seeking postponement of the general elections, the PPP chairman said the polls would be held on time.

Later, Mr Bhutto-Zardari visited the residence of Syed Ali Mehdi Shah, a social leader and member of the peace committee in Faisal Town, and met custodians of various Imambargahs and leaders of the Shia community and discussed with them problems of the area.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2024