According to Press Trust of India, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has left for Dubai after a tiff with his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, over the affairs of the PPP, leaving the party without its star campaigner for Pakistan’s general election.
Bilawal, recently named patron-in-chief of the Pakistan People’s Party, developed differences with Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, over the party’s handling of key issues, including militant violence, sectarian attacks against Shias and the award of party tickets for the polls scheduled for May 11.
Two sources privy to the development told the news agency that Bilawal had made it clear to his father that he felt the PPP had not strongly taken up issues like the shooting of teenage rights activist Malala Yusufzai by Taliban fighters last year and three devastating bomb attacks on Shias in Quetta and Karachi that killed nearly 250 people.
Bilawal was supposedly upset with the PPP’s handling of issues that affect the youth, especially in the wake of efforts by other parties like Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf to woo the youth ahead of the polls, the sources said.
The 24-year-old nominal chief of the PPP was angered by Faryal Talpur’s refusal to award tickets to certain candidates in Sindh province that he had recommended, a source said.
“Last month, Bilawal had recommended the names of some 200 PPP workers and asked former Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to give them jobs but Talpur had intervened, causing bad blood between them,” the source said.
Bilawal discussed these matters with his father and sought authority to take decisions in party matters.
But Zardari sided with his sister, who plays a key role in the PPP’s affairs, the source said.
“When Zardari told him that he would be handed over the command of the party after he is groomed politically, Bilawal got upset and left for Dubai,” a source said.
Matters got so heated on one occasion that a source quoted Bilawal as saying: “If I had to vote, even I wouldn’t vote for the PPP.”
Bilawal’s abrupt departure for Dubai last week has caused considerable disquiet within the PPP as the party had been banking on him to appeal to the voters who have traditionally voted for the Bhutto family.
“Bilawal had been projected as the PPP’s star campaigner as the President cannot participate in the campaign due to pressure from the courts,” a PPP leader said.
“Without Bilawal, the PPP cannot touch the emotions of the people, especially the hard core PPP workers,” said the PPP leader, who did not wish to be named.
The leader said he feared the PPP might not be able to get the “Bhutto vote” if Bilawal did not take part in the campaign.
PPP leaders have acknowledged that Bilawal will not be present when the party launches its election campaign on April 4 from Garhi Khuda Buksh, the traditional stronghold of the Bhutto family in Sindh.
However, they contended that Bilawal was not participating in the event for “security reasons” and would instead deliver a telephonic address.
Latif Khosa, recently elected secretary general of the PPP, told a news agency that there were security threats to the party’s leadership, especially Bilawal.
He said, “Bilawal may not attend election rallies due to security concerns and is likely to address gatherings on telephone or via video-conferencing.”
PPP spokesman Qamar Zaman Kaira too said Bilawal would not attend the rally on April 4 because he was “facing more threats than other leaders of the PPP”.
Party leaders are also concerned that the PPP’s campaign is now likely to be led by former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is known for his lack of charisma.
This would place the PPP at a disadvantage as it is up against seasoned campaigners like Imran Khan and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.
Gilani sought to play down the issue of Bilawal’s sudden departure from Pakistan, saying there were no differences between Bilawal and Zardari or Talpur.
“In our families, our children give immense respect to their elders,” Gilani told a news agency.
Hasham Riaz, Bilawal’s chief of staff, said Bilawal had gone to Dubai for “routine business”.
He claimed the reports of differences between Bilawal and his father “mere rumours”. Asked if Bilawal would come back to Pakistan, Riaz said: “Of course.”
Bilawal himself will not be eligible to contest polls till he turns 25 in September. The PPP had formally launched his political career at a massive rally in Garhi Khuda Baksh that marked the death anniversary of his mother, former premier Benazir Bhutto, in December last year.
This seems like a ploy to make people believe that Zardari Junior (Bilawal) is really concerned about this country’s affairs. The first question he should ask of his corrupt dad should be to disclose to the people how he was able to amass the insane amount of wealth that he possess. These people are a cancer that has eroded this country for decades and there is no stopping them.
I agree! It's all fake.
After 5 years he came to know about the importance of these issues. What a timing! 😛
Another of Zardari tricks. No doubt in my mind.
I agree! Just look at the timing of all this and you would know the plan.
Com’on people…thats a well written drama…to showcase bialawal as a changed and different person, to attract votes from other side of party…zardar is such a mean person, just like zardari has written drama of murder of BB and suden appearance of BB wasiyat,he is also behind this drama…so be carefull…
Bhotto's have always been real bad luck for Pakistan right from the beginning. Believe me the reason for why Pakistan is at verge of total and complete collapse, is the Bhutto Family's wrong doings. the decisions taken by Z.A.Bhutto, which interalia include Quota System, nationalisation of Banks-Shipping Companies etc., education policy, Labour Policy,etc etc, all have resulted in disastrous consequences. Later the policies of BB also contributed negatively- specially the policy on IPPs. And finally Zardari proved himself as the final nail into the coffin.
You are so very right; I fully agree with you. To add to it, PPP under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had lost national elections and was second to National Awami Party. Its rightful place was sitting on the opposition chairs, with late Mr Bhutto as the leader of the opposition .
ZAB refused to accept the results and raised that nefarious chant of "Idher ham udher tum" and the rest is history.
As a young man living in Pakistan at the time I voted for him and this burden of guilt I shall carry all my life. Nawaz was another big big disappointment.
another drama by zardari.
This is another noora kushtee, this time its between the big evil The Dad and the junior evil Bilawal, if that junior moron so concerned about the handling of Shia's etc. he would have taken that step a while ago not now….keeping the distant from Zardari is a new ploy of PPP to get some sympathy to get the votes, but this wont work this time.
hmm interesting, the script was made in lollywood, no doubt about that. Its a shame what our political parties are doing to Pakistan. Pakistan, one of the most vibrant nation on earth despite the fact of terrorism taking place, still the people over there are open to joy. I request PPP worker, PMLN workers, ANP and other corrupt parties (for the sake of divine revelation), please start to take bath in honesty pool it wont hurt I'll take the guaranty.
i wish he stays away for good now,
may the father and son never reconcile, Amen
THIS IS NOT PPP AFFAIR THIS HRK AFFAIR ( HRK = HINA RABBANI KHAR )
ITS ALL PPP DRAMA CHEAP PPP
Bilawal should have stopped eating the filth ,which his father has gathered fraudulently before staging this drama.
Good cop bad cop story.
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