KARACHI (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Saturday declared its departure from "old-school politics", as it commences its election campaign on Dec 27 with an inaugural gathering in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, Larkana.
Following an important party meeting chaired by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, prominent PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Shazia Marri, and Sharjeel Inam Memon addressed a press conference, announcing that Bilawal himself would lead the party’s campaign from Dec 27 – the day marking the 16th anniversary of the tragic passing of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
“PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has underscored that the party's electoral campaign will pivot towards positivity rather than negativity, breaking away from conventional political practices,” Sharjeel Inam Memon said.
The PPP leaders told media that the PPP chairman and the parliamentary committee expressed appreciation for the Supreme Court's decision on an appeal filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against an order of the Lahore High Court that suspended a notification regarding the appointments of district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) from within the bureaucracy.
LHC’s decision could potentially cause a delay in the general elections scheduled for Feb 8 next year.
The PPP leaders stressed that their party had consistently advocated for timely elections and was already actively preparing for the upcoming elections. They said that confusion prevailed before the apex court’s decision, with contradictory statements being made at times.
Shazia Marri stated that the PPP had long been demanding the issuance of the election schedule and expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for addressing this concern.
She, however, raised concerns about the lack of a level-playing field for the PPP in Punjab, citing transfers and postings favouring a Punjab-based party within the province.
Marri stressed the need to bring the progress made in Sindh to the attention of the entire nation and urged people to express their trust in the PPP through their votes.
Sharjeel Inam Memon shared details about the crucial meeting chaired by Bilawal Bhutto, where discussions covered the PPP’s election manifesto, mass contact drive, and the country’s overall political situation.
He asserted that the PPP was the only political party exerting pressure for timely elections, in contrast to others that seemed to be trying to avoid them.
Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari chaired a pivotal party meeting at Bilawal House.
Prominent figures in attendance included PPP Women Wing President Faryal Talpur, former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, former information minister Sherry Rehman, party’s spokespersons Shazia Marri and Faisal Karim Kundi, Nisar Khuhro, Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood, Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, former Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah, Manzoor Wassan, Hassan Murtaza, Rozi Khan Kakar, Nasir Shah, Sagheer Qureshi, Khursheed Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Mir Sanaullah Zehri, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Sherjeel Memon, and Mukesh Chawla.