With their non-stop rallies, the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz have started a new trend in what had been a rather dull run-up to the elections. This has forced the other parties to follow them. However, in terms of generating election related economic activity, the campaigns are far behind the elections in 2013 and 2018.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the youthful PPP chairman, deserves credit for being the first leader to step out for a campaign amid much uncertainty and gloom. Ever since, he has been constantly in the campaign, which he started from Sindh. He has been to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. As PPP’s poster boy, Bilawal has sought to highlight the ways in which he resembles his mother Benazir Bhutto and his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He is keen to revive the party in the Punjab, and his willingness to contest a National Assembly seat in Lahore has enthused many old-timers. This is brave since the PPP has never come close to winning the seat since 1988. His presence in Lahore has encouraged other PPP leaders to come forward and contest elections. Bilawal is now seen focusing on the Punjab. He has been to several districts and addressed big rallies in Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Chiniot and Sargodha.
His sister,........