News
November 24, 2023
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (left) and Co-chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari — AFP/File
PPP at Pains to Reject Impression of Zardari-Bilawal Differences
By Asim Yasin
Islamabad: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has termed reports of difference between father and son—PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari—baseless saying that Bilawal left for Dubai on Thursday evening, not on Friday, on a private visit as per earlier schedule.
Following the surprise departure of Bilawal, Asif Zardari also left for the UAE state from Islamabad. Sources in the PPP confirmed the departure of Asif Zardari to Dubai on Friday evening.
Earlier in the day, the surprise departure of Bilawal for Dubai following the interview of Asif Zardari on Geo TV’s ‘Capital Talk’ and amid party ‘election campaign’ opened the flood gates of the rumors.
The rumors got more attention after the PPP chairman changed his profile picture on his X handle in which Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto can be seen smiling with her hands on Bilawal’s shoulders.
According to sources, Bilawal left for Dubai after completion of his visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where he addressed party workers’ conventions in different districts.
Sources said the purpose of the PPP chairman’s visit to Dubai was to meet his younger sister Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and her children. PPP Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi put aside the rumors, saying that Bilawal’s visit was scheduled, and the party chairman left for Dubai Thursday afternoon.
“Rumors regarding differences between the PPP chairman and co-chairman are baseless,” he insisted.
Kundi told Geo News that Bilawal went to Dubai for two days and he will return by Monday or Tuesday to address the PPP’s Foundation Day’s public meeting in Quetta on November 30.
He clarified that the PPP chairman has not yet started the party’s election campaign, adding that once the polls schedule was announced the campaign would formally begin.
PPP Senator Salim Mandviwalla also refuted the rumors and said the Dubai visit was scheduled.
Meanwhile, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman wrote on X: “Don’t know why the panicked reporting on some channels as Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari left for Dubai on Thursday late afternoon exactly as scheduled.”
Meanwhile, in Geo’s program of ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, renowned journalist and host of Geo’s talk show ‘Capital Talk’ Hamid Mir said that after recording the interview with Zardari we sat down in another room to watch the interview, where Bilawal made a telephone call to his father and tried to clarify his position as sons do to fathers but Asif Zardari told Bilawal he need not do that, adding that as he (Zardari) had to reply to difficult questions.
Mir said that Bilawal tried to explain his narrative that what he was saying was not for him (Zardari) and he was not the target as he was talking about the 70 years of politics but Asif Zardari said he understands but he (Zardari) has to clarify.
Mir said then he realized that some senior party leaders also approached Bialwal and asked him whether they should also leave politics, and to that Bilawal explained that he did not mean that.
Mir further said Bilawal told his father that he was about to board the plane and would not able to watch the interview.
“When the phone call ended, I asked Asif Zardari why Bilawal was leaving for Dubai, and Zardari told me that he [Bilawal] will come back and he was also going to Dubai as Sanam Bhutto was coming there and it was their family gathering.
He further said, “I think that Zardari Sahib also left for Dubai. Zardari Sahib and Bilawal will come back soon but it was correct that many question arise after Zardari Sahib left, and my understanding is what Zardari Sahib wants to convey is different but what he talked about his son has turned into a controversy.” – The News
The Express Tribune adds: … Addressing the alleged differences within the party leadership, PPP leader Syed Nasir Hussain Shah declared the reports groundless.
As the Deputy Secretary-General of the PPP in Sindh, he emphasized that, as a large democratic organization, the party naturally experiences differences of opinion, cautioning that dissent should not be equated with discord.
Shah asserted that the news about disagreement between Zardari and Bilawal was unfounded, warning that those spreading false information would face consequences.
He further clarified that Bilawal is currently in Dubai as per a scheduled plan and is expected to return before the party's foundation day celebration on November 30.
The former provincial minister added that Bilawal is anticipated to address an important gathering during the commemoration of the party's foundation day in Quetta on the same date.
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