PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said general elections must be held as per schedule in the country, saying his party is fully ready it.
Condemning the May 09 riots, Bilawal reiterated his firm resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Addressing a public gathering in Zafar Shaheed Stadium in Khwazakhela area of Swat, PPP chairman said the attacks were carried out on May 09 under a conspiracy.
PPP to reorganise human rights wing from grassroots level: Bilawal
The rally was held in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was a bid to garner support leading up to general elections.
PPP central secretary information and state minister Faisal Karim Kundi, PPP provincial president, party stalwarts, supporters, along with charged workers were present in a large number.
Bilawal made it clear that if the masterminds, perpetrators and facilitators of the May 09 riots won’t be brought to justice then the country will bear a huge loss. He said on May 9, monuments of ‘Shuhada’ were set on fire.
He recalled that when the PPP founding leader and former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged, Jiyala (party workers) reacted peacefully and protested against it.
He said the PPP believes in services to people, not abusive politics. He said PPP is not fighting against any political party but against poverty and inflation.
Bilawal said the PPP had always raised the slogan that democracy is the best revenge.
The Foreign Minister asserted that it is in dire need of hour to give a benefiting response to ‘political terrorism’. He warned that if political terrorism couldn’t stop then matters would be further intensified.
He went on to say that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s manifesto was to resolve economic issues. He said the PPP government had always worked for poor people and downtrodden segments of the society.
Bilawal said a puppet government was imposed for four years at the centre.
He said the ‘selected’ only remained in politics because of the ‘umpire’s finger’. The selection was thrown out through ha no-trust motion, he added.
He said in a sarcastic vein that “revolutionists” could not bear jails for one or two days. He said the PPP leadership faced jails even in tough situations, but never raised a hue and cry.
The minister said the time has come to provide opportunities to the youth. He said the world is ready to come with Pakistan. He said a young foreign minister had done those things in only 14 months, which the seasoned and old foreign minister failed to do.
Bilawal said that the threat of terrorism exists in Swat once again. “The terrorists were defeated in the KP after the significant sacrifices of the Police, Army and the people of Swat. However, the PTI government settled the terrorists in KP, who had fled to Afghanistan,” he added.
The people of Swat are witness of the PPP’s efforts to bring peace in the country, he said, adding that all other parties remained silent when terrorists were imposed on the people of Swat.
“It was Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who said that she will hoist Pakistan’s flag in Swat, which some people wanted to take down,” he said.
Bilawal said PTI had abandoned its loyal and visionary workers; instead it gave tickets to abusers and non-serious candidates.
The PPP chairman also touched upon the subject of the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24, saying that the PPP has sent a high level committee to the prime minister to inform him about the party’s nominal input in the budget. “The federal government had pledged to match the provincial governments’ funds for the flood victims. Surprisingly, the centre has not allocated those funds for the provinces in the budget,” he added.
“If the PML-N wants the PPP’s vote for the budget, then it should allocate funds for the flood victims’ reconstruction,” he said.
He urged for elections to be held on time, saying that PPP is all set for elections. “We are calling all parties including our allies to go for elections. All the political parties should be allowed to participate in the polls. Whoever gets elected, will hopefully work for the betterment of the masses.”
Press Release adds: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that it is a matter of great pride that he is standing in the valley of Swat and raising the slogan of ‘Jeay Bhutto’, especially with Dr Haider Ali joining the Pakistan Peoples Party.
He said in the past four years, it was unfortunate that neither the PTI nor the government had the space for people who wanted to see their land, Swat prosper. In contrast, those who had materialistic aspirations would tag along with Imran Khan.
Dr Haider is a man who represented the people of Swat in the National Assembly and not once was he a part of those making hue and cry or abusing others, he was in the wrong party.
The people of Swat are witness to how the PPP fought for them and when terror was imposed on the land, it was the PPP that strived to bring peace to the region. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto accepted martyrdom for the sake of the country and was not once deterred just like the people of Swat by those spreading terror.
He said the people of Swat deserve tribute for taking to the streets to demand for peace and stability in their region. Today, we would like to reiterate that the PPP is standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Swat and will do whatever is possible to help the region progress.
He said we are willing to work with Afghanistan on a bilateral level to bring economic prosperity in the region by realising the importance of peace and security. We need to extend the message of peace to the terrorists, to convince them to drop their weapons.
We do not wish to hold another operation or initiate another war; the people have had enough of those and now deserve peace. However, we are not willing to bow before any terrorists for the sake of peace.
We know that PPP and the people of Swat share the same sentiments as neither has surrendered before terrorism. We also need to put a stop to the newly introduced political terrorism.
Bilawal said each and every citizen of Pakistan condemns the tragedy of May 9. All stakeholders, as well as, political parties share the same views regarding this, which is to make an example out of the culprits. If they are forgiven once, then there would be no rule of law, government or democracy in the country.
He said no other party competes with the PPP when it comes to the sacrifices it has rendered for the people, Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto preferred being sent to the gallows over comprising on the interest of the nation.
Similarly, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had the opportunity to wreak havoc over General Zia’s government when she was welcomed by a record-breaking mammoth gathering, but she chose peace for her people and country.
He said: “I was 19 when Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was martyred. Had we raised any other slogan at the time, or demanded for revenge by pointing towards the President House where Musharraf was sitting, the country would have burned to the ground.” However, even at that time, we reiterated that democracy is the best revenge.
He said the people of Swat know that whenever the common, poor people were taken care of, it was during the PPP’s rule. It was during the tenures of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma when the people of Swat attained ownership rights, as well as, employment.
Quaid-e-Awam would give free passports to the youngsters and send them abroad to allow them to make a mark internationally. During the rule of President Zardari, similar principles were applied and people were given employment. The ‘selected puppet’; however, did the opposite and snatched jobs from the people.
Bilawal said we want for the new generation to support us in our mission to help the country prosper. The time has come for them to be given the opportunity, and if they avail it by supporting us, then no problem would ever be big enough.
We need the support of politicians who feel for the people and actually wish to bring about change. The majority of the country’s population is constituted of youngsters and it is the PPP’s priority to integrate them into the decision-making process.
He said the world needs young people, it wants both low-skilled and high-skilled people, with the only condition of us stabilising ourselves. We will surely work together and strive to show our elders that when given the opportunity, youngsters can make the most of it.
When a young politician had proposed to bring forth a no-confidence motion to drive out the selected puppet, it was met by scepticism by the elders but it is this very democratic path that proved to be successful, he said.
Chairman Bilawal urged the party workers to initiate the process for electoral campaigning as the PPP is ready to avail the opportunity to work towards the realisation of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s dream.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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