PML-N fires back at Bilawal Bhutto, likens him to Imran Khan for fiery speeches

• False perception is being built against PML-N supremo: Uzma.
• Bilawal says Nawaz will harm country via "revenge politics".
• Marriyum Aurangzeb says Bilawal in Lahore as a newbie.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's fiery speeches have intensified with the February 8 general elections inching closer, where he is generously targeting political rivals from all parties, especially the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

However, the party's leaders Uzma Bukhari and Marriyum Aurangzeb have chosen to retort to the PPP scion's critical remarks, likening the 35-year-old to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

Throughout his speeches addressing PPP supporters in the party's rallies as part of its election campaign, Bilawal has been firing a broadside towards the PML-N leadership, particularly supremo Nawaz Sharif.

In a rally in Chiniot a day earlier, Bilawal had said Nawaz would harm the country via his "habitual revenge politics" if he came to power again.

"Mian sahib is habitual of [taking] revenge. He would take revenge which no one can think of if he becomes the [country's] prime minister for the fourth time," Bilawal had said.

Bukhari said a false perception is being built against Nawaz regarding political vengeance.

She likened the former foreign minister's actions during his political rallies to those of incarcerated Imran.

"I can only pray for Bilawal given the speed with which he is following the PTI founder," the PML-N leader said while speaking during the Geo News programme Geo Pakistan.

The politico said her party has decided not to respond to Bilawal as a policy. She added that the young PPP politician thinks he will get votes by speaking PTI's language. "It is a misunderstanding."

Taking a jibe at Bilawal for criticising development projects in Punjab, the PML-N leader said: "In Sindh, the problems are more, the difficulties and the situation are worse."

She added that the PPP is very fond of "wielding an axe in Punjab".

'Bilawal new to Lahore'

Meanwhile, PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb also defended her party and its leadership while denouncing Bilawal for his fiery addresses in the run-up to the general polls, slated to take place on February 8.

The politician advised Bilawal to stay civil and talk about his party's performance after he accused her party of not building enough quality healthcare facilities in Punjab.

"He is roaming around Lahore as a newbie, maybe he hasn't seen the [Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute] PKLI. He has not seen the universities, Danish schools."

Aurangzeb questioned Bilawal about what development [projects] is he "bringing to Punjab from Sindh".

Responding to his remarks on the alleged failures of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government formed in April 2022, she said: "He was an equal participant in the decision taken by the PDM government. We took joint decisions with all parties in the coalition."

'PML-N losing foothold in Punjab'

To defend her leader in the political ring, PPP politician Palwasha Khan said one party is aspiring to [form] the government for the fourth term.

"They have lost a foothold in the entire Punjab after Bilawal Bhutto announced contesting the election in one constituency," she added.

Palwasha maintained that it is the same Punjab that gave a government to PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto.

The PML-N, she added, "looted the province's wealth and took it to England to buy properties".