ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and former Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has expressed concerns that Nawaz Sharif, the supremo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is seemingly making efforts to become the country’s prime minister for the fourth time through unconventional means.
In an interview with a private British news media outlet, Bilawal remarked that Nawaz Sharif appears to be relying on factors other than the support of the Pakistani people to secure his fourth term as prime minister.
When asked about the possibility of the establishment backing Nawaz, Bilawal stated, “He’s certainly giving the impression that he is relying on something other than the people of Pakistan to become prime minister for the fourth time.”
Bilawal, a member of Pakistan’s influential political dynasty, discussed his perspective during an exhaustive four-week campaign that covered more than 33 towns, distinguishing his efforts from other parties that commenced canvassing just last week.
At the core of Bilawal’s bid for the premiership are his appeal to the youth and ambitious plans to address climate change. If successful, the 35-year-old leader would become Pakistan’s youngest prime minister since his mother, Benazir Bhutto, held office.
As the general elections approach on Feb 8, Bilawal emphasized the need for new ideas and leadership to address the prevailing political and economic instability. He stressed the importance of allowing the youth to make decisions that would impact their future, considering that approximately two-thirds of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30.
Bilawal, an Oxford-educated politician, is positioning himself as a contrast to the older political figures in the race, such as Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan. He underscored the significance of addressing the challenges faced by Pakistan’s struggling economy, including historic inflation and an unstable currency.
Despite fiscal constraints, Bilawal outlined concrete plans in his election manifesto, aiming to restructure Pakistan’s development model with a focus on combating climate change. He proposed allocating funds exceeding $10 billion to fight climate change, referencing the super floods in 2022 that displaced over 7 million people.
If Bilawal emerges victorious in the election, he could potentially enter office at an age less than half of Nawaz Sharif’s, at 25 days short of his mother’s age when she assumed office in 1988. When questioned about his chances, Bilawal responded, “I haven’t actually counted, but… I think she was the youngest.”
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
