PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has announced his preference for forming a government with independent candidates, eliminating the possibility of forming an alliance with either the PML-N or the PTI in the upcoming February 8 polls.
In an interview conducted in Larkana, Bilawal highlighted the significant participation of independent politicians, which is believed to include a substantial number of former PTI leaders running as independent candidates, following the PTI’s loss of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol. Gohar Khan, a leader of the party, expressed concerns about potential horse-trading and floor-crossing.
Positioning himself as an alternative to both the PML-N and PTI, Bilawal recently urged supporters of ex-PM Imran Khan to vote for him while their leader remains in jail.
Bilawal spoke to Reuters during an intensive four-week campaign that covered more than 33 towns, putting him ahead of other parties that began canvassing just last week.
His campaign focuses on youth appeal and ambitious plans to combat climate change, aiming to become the country’s youngest prime minister since his mother, Benazir Bhutto. If successful, Bilawal could potentially enter office just 25 days shy of the age at which his mother assumed office in 1988.
The 35-year-old emphasizes the need for new ideas and leadership to address political and economic instability, targeting the youth demographic. Bilawal plans to restructure Pakistan’s development model, placing climate change at the forefront, with proposals for free electricity and strengthened social safety programs despite fiscal constraints.
Bilawal aims to utilize widespread anger and has a concrete plan to allocate funds exceeding $10 billion pledged last year to fight climate change, especially after the super floods in 2022 that displaced over 7 million people.
With about two-thirds of Pakistan’s 241 million population being younger than 30, Bilawal emphasizes a break from traditional politics and a focus on the youth. He is notably younger than prominent political figures like Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, positioning himself as a distinctive choice in the upcoming election, where the PPP faces challenges from the PML-N and PTI, who have dominated Pakistani politics over the past decade. In the 2013 and 2018 elections, the PPP secured the second position after the PML-N, with Bilawal seeking to revive the party’s influence.
