Karachi
Activists of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and ardent supporters of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) celebrated his 88th birth anniversary on Tuesday, January 5.
A host of varied programmes were organised by supporters and followers of the late leader including cake cutting ceremonies and sessions for the recitation of the Holy Quran were held while free food was distributed to the poor, to pay tribute to the founder of the PPP.
Though many followers did appear to be disillusioned with the current state of affairs of the PPP, it did not affect their love and respect for Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Speaking at one of the gatherings, Dr Abdul Jabbar, who had a private practice in Mehmoodabad area of the city, said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was one of the first leader of the country who had inculcated a sense of self-respect among the people. “My leader was an enlightened man with a multi-faceted personality,” he said.
The doctor dispelled the impression that late ZAB was a pseudo-socialist or a man with strong feudal traits. “He was a well-respected professional and he took strong decisions with lasting impacts in the 1970s that had resulted in empowerment of the people of Pakistan,” he said.
Commenting on the nationalisation of educational institutions under ZAB’s regime, said that moved was aimed for ensuring uniformity and the curriculums of schools and colleges across the country.
Another senior PPP activist, Maroof Raza, said the country needed national goals and ZAB had provided them to Pakistan. Had his policies not been reverted under the anti-Bhutto political moves, he said, Pakistan would have been at an entirely different situation,
He called on political leaders to gain the trust and respect of the public by delivering to the people and taking their responsibilities seriously.