Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) organised an impressive rally in favour of President of Pakistan and Co-Chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday. While naming it "Step forward Asif Ali Zardari, we support you" rally, the workers and supporters of leftwing party emerged on The Mall Road with party flags, banners and posters of Zardari.
Interestingly, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial minister for Jails Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor also participated in the rally along with a few other members from PML-N, which according to him were 40 in total. Talking to media, Chaudhry Ghafoor said they are around to express unity with and support their coalition partners. "A third force is endeavouring hard to create cracks between the PPP and the PML-N but all such efforts of anti-democracy elements will prove failed," he added.
Meanwhile, Raja Riaz Ahmed, representing PPP as senior minister in the Punjab government led the rally along with President PPP Lahore President Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan, Aurangzeb Barki, Sami Ullah Khan besides a number of other party stalwarts.
The rally commenced from Chairing Cross and culminated at the Governor House. Addressing the emotionally charged but physically calm participants Raja Riaz Ahmed said the country is being benefited from prudent leadership of Asif Ali Zardari. "Prices of oil products have slashed down," he said, adding: "Prices of essential commodities are also coming down with every passing day." He further said the party workers are fully backing their leader Asif Ali Zardari and they would not let anybody to make mockery of the government.
It may be noted that a war of words erupted two days earlier when Governor Punjab wrote two letters to Punjab government criticising its working, followed by serious allegations of moral decency on him by the Punjab law minister Rana Sana Ullah.