Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday declared the 2020 as the year of 'Awami Raj' [people's rule] and a year of free, fair and transparent elections.
Addressing a mammoth rally at historic Liaqat Bagh - the venue of assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto - on the occasion of her 12th death anniversary, Bilawal said that the days of 'political orphans' and 'selected' have been numbered.
"The political orphans against whom Benazir Bhutto had already warned are ruling over the 'Naya Pakistan' and their puppet rule is now coming to an end. The people from Khyber to Karachi are now saying goodbye to these political orphans," he said, adding that the 'experience' has badly been failed.
Bilawal maintained that the country, its democracy and independence of the people are in danger and urged the masses to support him for establishing the 'people's rule'. "This land is calling us. With your support, we will oust these selected and establish the people's rule," he vowed, adding that he would accomplish the incomplete mission of her late mother - Benazir Bhutto. "The people's rule cannot be formed without the PPP," he added.
"Rawalpindi! Stay witness, for I will restore the rule of the people, give rights to the youth, rights to the students, rights to minorities and proper compensation to farmers as well as the laborers for their efforts," he said, adding that he will continue the struggle of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and complete the mission of Benazir Bhutto.
"Look at the state of this democracy. The parliament is locked, media is not free and judiciary is under attack," he said, adding that there are attacks on the 18th amendment. He pointed out that terrorism might have been defeated but extremism is present and spreading all over the country, adding that people of every walk of life are on the streets and demanding their rights.
He said the country is confronting with various challenges including constitutional and leadership crises, adding that the incumbent rulers are unable to handle the grave challenges and economic crisis.
"What kind of politics is this? With the 'politics of Kufa', you cannot establish the State of Medina," he said.
He also stated that people in Sindh are in protest for being deprived of gas supply while the state of economy is presenting a worst shape and the government has become a 'nightmare' for the people.
"These political orphans were saying that Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari will not be freed and you witnessed both are free now," he told the gathering, adding that they are unable to run the affairs of the country, as more than 1,000,000 people have lost their jobs in one year.
"Look at the country's independent [foreign policy], without getting NOC [no objection certificate], even the Prime Minister cannot visit any country," Bilawal said while referring to recent canceled visit of Prime Minister Khan to Malaysia allegedly on the Saudi Arabia's influence.
He said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is taking the country's economic decisions. "We have to save our country and get the independence back," he added.
Referring to the political struggles of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal stated: "Bhutto is and [General] Zia was, Benazir is and Musharraf was," referring to the end of the two dictatorial regimes confronted by his grandfather and his mother respectively.
"Rawalpindi! Stay witness, they used to say that a woman can never be the prime minister of a Muslim country and you saw she became the first female head of the government of a Muslim country twice," he said.
He said that credit goes to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for creating foundation of the country's nuclear programme and Benazir Bhutto for providing Pakistan with the much-needed missile technology. He said that Benazir Bhutto had come back to Pakistan to ensure that the rule of the people was established. He said that a popular leader was hanged in Rawalpindi while his daughter - Benazir Bhutto - was assassinated in a bomb attack in the same city.
The PPP chairman lashed out at the PTI government, saying that it is an "enemy" of the poor people of Pakistan, adding that 800,000 poor have been removed from the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
He also criticized the government for allegedly leaving the Kashmir people alone, adding that Kashmir has been under a historic attack and 'Islamabad has left the Kashmiris helpless and isolated.'
In a video message, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari vowed that PPP will form a truly people's government in the country and solve the problems of people. "The current rulers are totally oblivious to problems being faced by the poor and laborers," he said, adding that the rulers are completely irrelevant to the plight of the masses due to high inflation.
"The PPP in its previous tenure truly served the people and if it is given another opportunity, the party will again rightfully serve the people," he claimed. Urging the people to support the PPP chairman, he said: "Today, Bilawal is standing at the same place where Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter were martyred."
Addressing the gathering, former prime minister and senior PPP leader Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani called upon the people to support Bilawal for completion of the incomplete mission of Benazir Bhutto. He said that Benazir Bhutto was the name of a 'mission and movement'.
"Had Benazir Bhutto been alive today, Kashmiris might not have witnessed the grave situation they are facing today," he said. He also criticized the government for alleged restrictions on media and asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to refrain from calling media as 'mafia.'
Raja Pervez Ashraf in his address to the rally said that Benazir Bhutto sacrificed everything for Pakistan and its people, adding that the slain PPP leader spent all her life struggling for restoration of democracy.
Senior PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said that organizing the 12th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto at her assassination place gives a message of self-accountability, adding that her incomplete mission needs to be accomplished.
Nayyar Hussain Bokhari claimed that Bilawal would be the next prime minister of Pakistan in 2020, adding that only the PPP chairman can steer the country out of the prevailing challenges through political wisdom of Asif Ali Zardari.
"Today, the country is confronted with various challenges including administrative and economic challenges as well as confrontation among institutions which is result of the incompetence of the rulers," he maintained.
PPP's Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira lashed out at the Prime Minister, saying that taking 'u-turns' is tantamount to 'cheating' with the nation. The rally was also addressed by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, former chief minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah, Sherry Rehman, Nisar Khoro, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and others.
Law enforcement agencies have put the city, especially the venue of the rally, under tight security, as sources said that over 5,000 security personnel including police commandoes were deployed in and around Liaqat Bagh.
All roads leading to the venue of public gathering were locked through shipping containers. Sharpshooters and snipers of police were also seen taking positions on top of the buildings around Liaqat Bagh to keep a close watch on the situation.
Police were also conducting random checking of participants of the rally and walkthrough gates were also installed at the entry of venue. Police sources said that five suspected persons were also arrested from the venue of the rally and they were taken to undisclosed location for investigation.
According to a rough estimate, over 14,000 workers of PPP from different parts of the country including Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the rally. The organizers set up two stages in the ground, one for the central leadership and the second for provincial, divisional and district level leaders.
The participants of anniversary were holding party flags and banners of party leaders, and were chanting slogans in favor of the party. The PPP workers adorned the walls of the city and around the Liaqat Bahgh with party flags and portraits of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Asif Ali Zardari.
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