Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has urged the the supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to vote in the favour of his party while throwing shade at the Imran Khan-led party ahead of the general elections.

“PTI founder is out of the race while all leaders [of the party] are planted,” Bilawal said while addressing an election rally in Rawalpindi as the political campaigns for the February 8 elections go on in full swing.

A slew of new faces joined the PTI recently, most of them lawyers, as the party’s main leaders are either jailed or parted ways post-May 9 — the day when military installations were ransacked, inviting the state’s wrath on the PTI.

Bilawal’s remarks came as the young politician called on the masses to advise the PTI supporters that the PPP has been struggling for a democratic regime in the country for three generations.

He said that now was the time to act seriously and wisely instead of emotionally, asking the masses not to “waste” their vote by not casting the ballot in the favour of ‘arrow’, which is PPP’s election symbol.

Bilawal then slammed PTI for ending up without the ‘bat’ symbol, saying the party lost its iconic electoral symbol due to their own mistakes, as he referred to the party’s internal elections which were declared illegal by the Supreme Court.

He said that the PTI leaders hurl abuses against the judges and the next day they appear before the same courts “without preparation and shed crocodile tears” for being stripped of their ‘bat’ symbol.

“Use the power of your vote instead of wasting it. You have to stamp on the arrow on February 8 and we will prey on the lion together,” Bilawal said once again urging the people to vote for PPP.

He then turned the guns towards its rival party, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), saying that the party’s supremo Nawaz Sharif becoming the prime minister for a fourth time would prevent development and progress in the country.

“Majority of the country doesn’t want anyone becoming the prime minister for fourth time,” Bilawal said while continuing his criticism of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif for eyeing premiership once again.

He claimed that only the PPP could steer the country out of crises and bring stability to it.

Moreover, the former foreign minister spoke about fighting terrorism, which was once again on the rise in Pakistan.

“There would be no good or bad Taliban,” he said, pledging to fight against terrorism in all its forms.

Zardari’s message for Baloch armed groups

Meanwhile, Bilawal’s father and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing a public rally in Hub, Balochistan, called on the people to advise the armed groups present in the province against violence.

“Guide those friends who use the arms: why do you raise the arms, let’s move towards democracy,” Zardari said, adding that following democracy would solve all the problems.

He said that the PPP never promoted aggression and fighting while calling on the masses to vote for ‘arrow’ on the day of polls.

“Balochistan’s survival is in democracy,” he added, promising the people of Balochistan to give them their rights.

The seasoned politician then called for improving the peace and security situation in Hub to attract Karachi-based investors to the city.

Separately, Asifa Bhutto-Zardari addressed a public rally in Lyari and promised the people of the locality to provide them the facilities of free education and health if they vote PPP into power.

“I and Bilawal are your voice,” Asifa said, stressing that PPP had a people-friendly manifesto.

She also promised to regularise the slum areas of Lyari and end poverty and hunger.