Next Pakistan Prime Minister won't be from Lahore: Bilawal Bhutto

Karachi: In an apparent dig at PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed his hope that the next prime minister will not be from Lahore and hinted that his party will contest the polls "on its own" in the February 8 general election.

Former foreign minister Bhutto Zardari, 35, also clarified that his party PPP does not need to look towards anyone to emerge victorious in the upcoming polls, Geo News quoted him as saying.

"When it comes to elections, we [PPP] only look towards the people of Pakistan. We do not look or pin any hope from anywhere else…the PM would only become that person, who is elected by the people of Pakistan. And I understand that this time the prime minister of the country will not be from Lahore,” he told reporters.

Bhutto Zardari's comments came after PPP on Sunday won big in the by-polls held across 14 districts of Sindh and also weeks after a telephonic call between his father and former president Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif following the latter's return to Pakistan from a four-year-long self-imposed exile, indicating chances of a poll alliance between the two parties.

A reported contact between Nawaz Sharif and PPP leader and former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari has seemingly failed to thaw the ice between the two former allies, with the latter sticking to its complaint of an uneven playing field in the run-up to polls, the Dawn newspaper reported.

On Monday in his first meeting of the PML-N's secretariat after his return, Sharif, 73, also directed his party leaders to begin their preparations for the national elections scheduled to be held on February 8.

Bhutto Zardari also termed PPP’s success in Sunday’s local government by-polls merely a trailer and said: “People proved [by voting] that they are with the PPP”, The News International reported.

“Even if our [political] opponents unite [against us] they won’t be able to defeat the PPP,” he claimed.

While congratulating Ka­­­rachi mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab for winn­i­­ng by-polls in city local bo­­­dies, he asked the party workers to take this fresh win as an opportunity to launch a campaign for the upcoming general electi­ons, the Dawn newspaper reported.

In a separate statement, his father Asif Ali Zardari was quoted as saying: “The sun of February 8 will rise with the news of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s victory. The days of suffering for the people are almost over, as the PPP will end their problems”.

According to the latest announcements made by Pakistan's President House, general elections will be held on February 8 to elect a new government.