Pakistan: Not interested in ties with establishment, says Bilawal

Lahore [Pakistan], February 2 : Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday dismissed media speculation over the party's "relations" with the "establishment" (Pakistan Army) and said that PPP is not interested in ties with the establishment.
Talking to senior journalists in the Punjab provincial capital, the PPP chairman said the long march would be successful if the "establishment opts to play a neutral role," Geo News reported.
"We have never been interested in [forging relations] with the establishment, and we never will be," he said.
Imran Khan's ascendancy to the Islamabad throne was made possible by the army, especially Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and is often referred to as the hybrid regime.
Moreover, Pakistan's elected representatives and ministers rejoice in reading the military general's statements, words like civilian leadership and military leadership are used with pride. It is often claimed that it is the army and establishment and not peoples' power behind it.
Last month, the PPP had said the anti-government long march from Karachi to Islamabad would take place on February 27, with Bilawal demanding immediate and transparent elections in the country.
He had said that the nation wants to get rid of the "selected" government (Imran Khan) and a transparent election is the only solution, reported Geo News.
Speaking about the Leader of the Opposition in Senate Yousaf Raza Gillani, Bilawal said he has complete confidence in him. "Ever since the long march was announced, some elements have been trying to tarnish our image."
Gillani had on Monday announced to step down as the Leader of the Opposition in Senate as he was among eight Opposition senators whose absence the passage of the State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill.