report in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2023.
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: In a strategic move for full slate of candidates, the leadership of PPP Punjab convened on Wednesday and finalised plans to nominate candidates for every provincial and national constituency within the province.
The party also decided to open doors for aspiring candidates, inviting applications to bolster the electoral roster.
The decision was taken during a meeting led by Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur with the party’s Punjab leadership to deliberate on the electoral concerns.
The meeting, held in Islamabad, saw the participation of key figures including Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Hassan Murtaza, Rana Farooq, and Chaudhry Aslam Gul.
Divisional presidents from PPP Central Punjab also attended the discussions.
Meanwhile, senior PPP leader Shazia Marri on Wednesday said that the PPP had swallowed the bitter pill of the outcome of the 2013 poll despite harbouring “reservations” as the party prioritised the nation’s greater interest.
Addressing the media in Lahore, Marri aimed barbs at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), stressing the importance of gaining power through constitutional means.
In a veiled criticism directed at PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, the PPP leader questioned the absence of election talk during the former prime minister’s Minar-e-Pakistan rally. “There was no talk of the polls in the rally. Don’t be afraid of elections.”
She said that the people of Lahore deserved to be empowered to elect their leader freely and advised political adversaries to engage with the populace and champion their causes without undermining the PPP’s sacrifices, emphasising a focus on the welfare of the people.
Slamming the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Marri said the party was still grappling with the aftermath of electoral defeats at the hands of PPP in Sindh.
Defending PPP’s leader, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Marri lauded his youthful leadership, contrasting it with the self-serving agendas that cloud others’ judgment. She said Bilawal was committed to serving the masses and creating a promising future for the nation’s children.
Directing her appeal to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Marri urged the announcement of the election schedule in accordance with the designated date of February 8. She cautioned that failure to hold the elections would have adverse implications for Pakistan.
She underscored the PPP’s stance against inflation and unemployment, positioning the party as the advocate for the marginalised. “We do not wage our fights against personalities, ours is a fight against inflation and unemployment,” she highlighted.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2447693/ppp-to-contest-every-constituency-in-punjab
