Ouster of Bhutto govt: Sindh PA adopts unanimous resolution condemning Zia’s action

KARACHI: Legislators from across the aisles on Tuesday censured former military dictator late Gen Zia-ul-Haq for overthrowing former premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s elected government, as the Sindh Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution to condemn the anti-democracy move of July 5, 1977.

The resolution came from PPP’s lady legislator, Heer Ismail Soho, which not only the opposition lawmakers spoke on but also supported unanimously.

Members of the assembly also gave a rich homage to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and remembered him in glorifying words. They called July 5, 1977 a “black day” in Pakistan’s history.

The mover said that the country suffered a rule of tyranny in 11 years of martial law after the elected rule of Bhutto was toppled in a coup. The late premier gave the green passport for the citizens of Pakistan to travel abroad and made the country a nuclear power to wield its defence invincible, he added.

Sadia Javed of the PPP said that the Gen Zia regime sowed a culture gun violence, drugs smuggling into the country and agitated ethnicity in the country that the nation continues to suffer from.

GDA’s Abdul Razzaque Rahimoon condemned Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law, saying that “we are supporting this resolution in behalf of opposition”.

Bhutto gave the slogan of “breed, cloth and house” for the nation, he said that the ruling PPP should follow the vision of its founding leader as there are people in Sindh homeless and starving.

Firdous Shamim Naqvi of the PTI said that “we all remember Z A Bhutto,” and saluted to him for laying the foundation for the nuclear program. He called Asif Ali Zardari a “spectre” of Gen Zia, saying that “the way people were bought for Senate and a market was set up in Sindh House is shameful.”

He said that Bhutto had coined the country’s most popular slogan “breed, cloth and house,” but there are over 50,000 slums in Sindh and hoped that no one should remain hungry after 50 years.

GDA’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi called Bhutto a leader of “entire Pakistan”, saying that he did not belong to the PPP alone. Similarly, he said that democracy is not a heirship of the PPP as other parties are also democracy followers.

“History will never forgive July 5 incident,” she said that Bhutto was a visionary man. “My mother was crying and we were sad. Everywhere there was a mourning,” she said that all those in accomplices with Gen Zia’s conspiracy against Bhutto were latter made government’s ministers and advisors by the PPP.

GDA’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi of the GDA dubbed Bhutto “great” man, saying that he brought back 90,000 army personnel after the downfall of East Pakistan in 1971. “He saved Pakistan,” he paid homage.

The PPP should learn from their founding leader and follow in his footprints, he advised, saying that Bhutto’s rule was corruption free, as he and his government never accused of the dishonesty. Today, he said, provincial and federal government are faced with corruption cases.

Mangla Sharma of the MQM said that nobody knew how terrible would be coming years in Gen Zia rule after Bhutto’s government was overrun by the martial law. “It is a black spot on Pakistan’s history,” she said.

The country underwent an anguish of extremism and gun violence during Zia regime. She called upon all political parties to hold July 5 a black day. She said that Bhutto was the proponent of the country’s Constitution and gave the nation an identity.

Former Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that he is a PPP worker since its inception. “Shaheed Bhutto will be remembered for centuries,” he said and citing Bhutto “this Constitution is for Pakistan”.

Election on one seat of Senate will be held today at the Sindh Assembly from 9 am till 4 pm. The seat became vacant after demise of PPP’s senator, Dr Sikandar Mandhro.

PPP is expected to retain the seat, which Dr Khalida Sikandar Mandhro is contesting against main rival of Noor-ul-Haq Qureshi of the PTI.

There 99 lawmakers of the PPP, 30 of the PTI, 21 of the MQM, 14 of the GDA, 3 of the TLP, and one of the MMA to vote for their candidates. Four of the PTI legislators have defected.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022