Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Yousuf Raza Gilani has categorically rejected the impression of "overpowering Bilawal" saying he was serving the party in South Punjab on personal request of Bilawal Bhutto. Reacting to a story appeared in Business Recorder on October 8, he said he has served the country as a premier, speaker and federal minister. "How can I revert to regional or local politics after serving the party and country at such a high positions," he questioned.
"It is an unpleasant job I am doing on the request of Bilawal, and that's all," he said, adding, "I had made clear to Bilawal that I was member of her mother's team and he should evolve own team to reorganise the party." He said the future of party's politics belonged to youngsters and all those leaders having crossed 60 and 70 are irrelevant to the situation.
"This is not my age to take over the party or its chairman," he explained. Gilani pointed out that he was making consultations for the party's reorganisation in all districts and restricting himself to forwarding the names of interested ones to the party chairman at the end of the day. "I am focused on those who are capable and willing to serve the party," he added.
He said Bilawal is the only person having the authority to finalise the party leadership in South Punjab after interviewing the candidates proposed by his after due consultation. "I would like to clarify that no one, except Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood has been finalised yet for any post in the South Punjab," he mentioned. He said he has yet to visit district Dera Ghazi Khan, district Rahim Yar Khan and district Layya to finalise names of party office-bearers for Bilawal Bhutto.