LARKANA: Senior Sindh Mini­s­ter for Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said he is confident Pak­is­tan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will win uncontested by-election for NA-204.

Mr Khuhro, flanked by senior party leaders of PPP Sindh chapter, told a press conference at the Larkana Press Club here on Wednes­day that NA-204 was the same seat which PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had contested and won and later his wife Begum Nusrat Bhutto had retained it.

He said that it was an occasion of great pleasure for him that he would become a voter of his chairman. Bilawal might set up election camp office at his Larkana residence to run his campaign. “It is a good omen and we welcome him with open arms,” he said. He said that by filing papers from this constituency Bilawal had followed in the footsteps of his mother and carried forward her legacy.

Asked if the party would try to convince any possible contestants to pull out of the race to allow Bilawal to win uncontested, Mr Khuhro said that there was no harm in making a request (for withdrawal) to anyone who used his right to run for the seat against Bilawal.

He said that vacating National Assembly seats for the chairman and co-chairman would pave the way for their entry into parliamentary politics. Once Benazir had also filed papers from this constituency but later she decided to contest from another constituency, he said.

Describing ‘Damadum Mast Qalandar’ and ‘political long march’, Mr Khuhro said that it meant mobilising masses and gathering strength prior to launching the long march, which he said might start from Sindh.

He said that there was no truth in reports that the MNA concerned had refused to vacate NA-204 seat, therefore Bilawal would now contest NA-207 although the seat had been reserved for him in past.

He thanked PPP admirers and supporters for making the 9th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto a success and renewing their love for the Bhuttos.

Asked when NA-204 would be vacated, he said he had no idea. But the party sources said the seat might fall vacant within a week when the MNA concerned personally submitted the resignation to the speaker of National Assembly.

Published in Dawn December 29th, 2016