President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday called upon the politicians engaging in negative propaganda against the present democratic government not to play in the hands of anti-democratic forces, which desire the fruits of democracy could not reach the common man.
The anti-democratic forces do not want to see democracy flourish and that people of all provinces of the country could get their basic rights, the President said while addressing a big gathering on the occasion of inauguration and foundation stone-laying ceremonies of various development projects of Shaheed Benazirabad district here at Zardari House on Monday.
The President said that only those politicians are criticising the democratic government who wanted to enhance their political stature, however, he vowed to continue his struggle for strengthening democracy and provision of all due rights to the people of the country. The workers and leaders of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) are ready to challenge such anti-democratic tactics, he added.
If the politicians named NWFP province as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and initiated Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package, they must face the same criticism from anti-democratic forces as experienced by the present democratic government, he said and added that PPP has a bright past of struggling for the restoration of democracy in the country and the party leaders and workers are still ready to foil the attempt of anti-democratic forces.
There are some forces, who are guiding some politicians to launch propaganda against the present government as they feared that PPP which has been struggling to achieve required goals of progress and prosperity would retain the power in the next general election after completion of it current tenure. After that they would have no chance to enter the corridors of power in future, he said and added that these forces are working against the democratic government as they do not want that it should strive for the welfare of the masses and the strengthening of the country.
The PPP has deep roots among the masses right from Kashmir to Karachi and the present government is a part of PPP or the PPP is a part of the government, he said. The present government has been engaged in serving the masses and holding dialogue with the world community to steer the country towards progress and prosperity.
President Asif Ali Zardari said that people are the real power of the country and whenever they got a chance, from Kashmir to Karachi, they elected Pakistan People's Party(PPP) to govern as they are fully aware that it is the only party, which had always struggled for their rights and welfare.
The PPP always comes into powers with the support of masses even when the elections were conducted by the opponents who never desired to see this party in power, he said and added that PPP is a strong wall against those who do not want the masses to share power.
He said the country and Pakistan People's Party suffered losses whenever dictators or undemocratic forces grabbed the country's reigns, however, he said that PPP never compromised on principles and struggled for democracy and rights of the people.
Asif Ali Zardari said he is a follower of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and would continue his struggle to fulfil all commitments, which he made with the ideology and philosophy of these great leaders who preferred to sacrifice their lives, but never bowed their heads before the undemocratic forces.
He said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto preferred to become immortal in history and declined to compromise on people's rights and the country. Similarly, he said that it was the struggle of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for the countrymen that the dictators quoted her with due respect. We are the followers of the great leaders and would not compromise on principle, he said and added we have no fear of mosquitoes in the prisons and would continue our struggle for the people.
The President said that Allah Almighty has bestowed great responsibility to him to come up to the expectation of the masses adding that he is making all out efforts to accomplish the vision of the great leaders of the country. He said the country at present is facing great challenges particularly after the flood, which caused severe damage to the economy.
The President said that keeping in view the challenges being faced by the country after 2008, the PPP formed a coalition government not only in the centre but also in the provinces with the aim that all democratic forces should pool their contribution so that the country could be taken forward. He called upon all democratic forces to work for the country's betterment, strengthening democracy and welfare of the masses.
The President said the government has been engaged in providing maximum facilities to the masses by launching development projects in the country adding that despite tough economic issues, the government is making all out efforts to provide maximum relief to the people.
He praised the services of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in struggling for the welfare of the masses for the last two and half years and also thanked the coalition partners in the province for extending full support to the government. The President also praised the efforts of Chairman National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and President PPP Women Wing Ms Faryal Talpur for her efforts for the development of Shaheed Benazirabad district. He also thanked the people of the district for extending their full support to her sister Ms Faryal Talpur when he was in jail.
The notables of Shaheed Benazirabad district, including District PPP President Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Hanif Chandio from Qazi Ahmed, Syed Munir Shah from Sakrand and President Nawabshah Press Club Zulfiqar Memon speaking on the occasion eulogised the services of Ms Faryal Talpur for making hectic efforts for the development of the district, approval of number of development schemes and relief and rescue work during the flood.
They suggested launching of gas supply schemes, upgrading of Sakrand Grid Station and provision of loan with a low mark-up for journalists who got residential plots from the government.
President Asif Ali Zardari later inaugurated the Women Development Complex of Shaheed Benazirabad district and the Federal Lodges. The President also performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sports Complex and Sakrand-Qazi Ahmed Road. He also performed the groundbreaking of Qazi Ahmed-Amri Bridge on river Indus.
The President also attended a briefing on various development projects in progress under different development programmes in the district which included infrastructure strengthening plan of Taluka Municipal Administration Nawabshah, special development package for Shaheed Benazirabad district, Nawabshah package for education, establishment of Cadet College for Girls, rural schemes of the district, model village Fatuhal Zardari, development schemes under Prime Minister's directives, cancer hospital and mother and child care institute in Benazirabad district.
Among others, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Housing Minister Rehmatullah Kakar, Federal Communications Minister Arbab Jehangir, State Minister for Religious Affairs Ms Shagufta Jummani, Chairman NCHD MNA Ms Faryal Talpur, provincial ministers Dr Zulqiar Mirza, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Jam Mumtaz Dahar, Manzoor Wassan, Ms Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto and Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Ms Sharmila Farooqui were also present on the occasion.