PML-N puts up impressive show Shahbaz launches vitriolic attack on Zardari

MUHAMMAD SALEEM

LAHORE: Amid "Go Zardari Go" slogans, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif Friday called for President Asif Ali Zardari to voluntarily resign.

In a hard-hitting anti-Zardari speech, Shahbaz told an emotionally-charged meeting of PML-N workers at Bhatti Chowk: "President Zardari, you must quit; otherwise people would hang you upside down." The PML-N was scheduled to hold 'Go Zardari Go' rally from Nasir Bagh to Bhatti Chowk, but in view of massive public participation the rally was converted into a public meeting. The PML-N workers from across the province took part in the public meeting under the leadership of their respective legislators.

Shahbaz warned that people from Khyber to Karachi would form a "Tahrir Square" if President Zardari did not resign. He said Zardari was stealing nation's wealth and depositing it in Swiss bank accounts and time had come to hold him accountable for his actions. He challenged: "If we can defeat dengue, Zardari we can defeat you too."

Shahbaz said that he (Zardari) is looking for "masked" men to commit dacoity on Nawaz Sharif vote-bank but no one could purchase the loyalty of PML-N workers. He also said that the 'Jialas' of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would follow the path set by her and they were no longer with Asif Zardari.

Shahbaz, who himself raised slogans of 'Go Zardari Go', said: "The people have laid the foundation of a new Pakistan through their enthusiastic participation in the rally," he said. Shahbaz said the corrupt government has given nothing to people except darkness and despair. The Chief Minister said that PIA, Railways, Steel Mills and other state-owned institutions have been ruined by corruption. Price-hike and unemployment have made the life of people miserable, he added. He said that due to PPP-led coalition government's wrong policies, the country has plunged into darkness while poor people have lost their livelihood and export orders of billions of rupees have been cancelled. He said that the nation might have to face even more acute loadshedding in the near future. He said the so-called democratic government of PPP is interested only in loot and plunder and not in the solution of people's problems. He said that President Zardari has "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" are around him in order to prolong his rule. Zardari and the "40 Thieves" engaged in ruthless plunder of natural resources.

Shahbaz said that PML-N will save the Quaid's and Iqbal's Pakistan from corrupt and inefficient rulers and transform it into an Islamic welfare state in the real sense of the word.

He also slammed Zardari for "ignoring" the plight of people at the time of devastation caused by floods and rains in Sindh and Punjab last year. When Pakistan sovereignty was violated on May 2, President Zardari wrote a "letter of appreciation" in Washington Post which is enough to expose his real face.

He said Nawaz Sharif showed political sagacity and tolerated the PPP government but it was termed PML-N's weakness. "We had to face criticism for what many said playing a role of friendly opposition." He also recounted achievements made by the PML-N-led Punjab government and said corruption has been eradicated from top level and recruitments of teachers and police officials have been made purely on merit.

Shahbaz concluded his speech by reciting from the late revolutionary poet Habib Jalib's works.

Earlier, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the PML-N along with others waged a just struggle against dictatorship. He added: "how ironic it is that a dictator in uniform was succeeded by a civilian dictator." The rally was scheduled for 2.00 pm could not start before 5.35 pm. Among others, PML-N senior leaders Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, Makhdoom Javaid Hashmi, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Pervaiz Rasheed, Mushahid Ullah Khan, Ishaq Dar, Bilal Yaseen, Pervaiz Malik, Sirdar Zulifqar Khosa and party's legislators were present on stage. Khawaja Asif told reporters that the present corrupt system could not last any longer.

Ahsan Iqbal told mediamen that people wanted a change as they wanted resolution of their outstanding issues. He said massive participation of public in this rally should serve as a wake-up call to "corrupt" rulers. He said the PML-N would hold public meetings across the country to force Zardari to quit.

Senator Pervaiz Rasheed said he has not seen such a "massive" gathering in his entire political career.

Foolproof security arrangements were made for the rally. About eight entry points were reserved for participation in the venue of the public meeting. The participants were allowed entry after thorough body search.

A large number of women also attended the meeting. A separate block was reserved for them. Around 2500 police officials were deployed to maintain security in and around the venue of the rally. About 48 security CCTV were installed around the venue. Two suspects were also taken into custody before the start of the programme.

AFP adds: More than 30,000 supporters of Pakistan's main opposition party took to the streets in a protest rally Friday, burning an effigy of President Asif Ali Zardari and demanding that he quit. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) called the rally in Lahore to build pressure for early elections in its political heartland, where it controls the Punjab provincial government despite being in opposition at national level.

Party faithful denounced corruption and widespread power cuts, calling on the 56-year-old president, dubbed "Mr Ten Percent" over graft allegations, to step down before the government's five-year mandate expires in 2013.

Smaller rallies converged into a sea of people, packed left and right for up to two kilometres (one mile), which massed at one of the entrances to the old city of Lahore, witnesses said.

"Go Zardari, go corruption, go load shedding," they chanted, in reference to the crippling power cuts that blight homes and businesses in much of Pakistan. Lahore, with a population of eight million, is Pakistan's second-biggest city and the capital of the most populous province Punjab, which commands the greatest number of seats in the national parliament. That makes it bitterly contested territory where opposition leaders are targeting the unpopular Zardari and trying to whip up future votes. They are looking to exploit disillusionment with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) which swept to power in February 2008, two months after Zardari's wife, ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated.

"Step down Zardari and hand over your money otherwise we will hang you here," cried Shahbaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab, addressing the crowd.

His brother, party leader Nawaz, did not attend because he was in Turkey.

After the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, Shahbaz said the party would take to the road leading a nationwide campaign calling for Zardari to go. An effigy of the president was beaten and set ablaze, while other followers danced to party songs blasted out at top volume.

Others carried toy lions - the animal is Sharif's election symbol - shouting "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif".

One police official told AFP on condition of anonymity that more than 30,000 people were in the crowd. An AFP reporter earlier estimated 10,000.

Amid tight security, a large stage was set up with bulletproof glass next to hoardings of Nawaz and his brother Shahbaz, chief minister of Punjab.

Police commandos were seen on the rooftops of buildings and Lahore police told AFP officers were on high alert to prevent any possible attack by militants.

Members of Zardari's party have lashed out at the Sharifs, accusing them of misappropriating public resources for a political rally. "It was a comedy show and government resources were used to organise it. They used police, health and all other departments to bring people to the rally," said senior PPP leader and former law minister Babar Awan.

An irritant for both Sharif and Zardari is cricket-hero-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is holding his own rally on Sunday at the Minar-e-Pakistan ground, where the resolution for the creation of Pakistan was adopted in 1940.

Campaigning by his Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party, which boycotted the 2008 election, has sparked debate about the extent to which he will deprive the Sharifs of political support. Defence and political analyst Talat Masood told AFP that Friday's rally could help the PML-N build up pressure for early elections and wrest back some initiatives from perceptions that Khan is eating into its support base.

"But only time will tell if they succeed or not. The performance in Punjab can be a litmus test for the campaign for change," he said.