PPP Foundation Day: Bilawal won’t disappoint nation, says Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has asked the nation to support PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the young leader will not disappoint the nation.

“The philosophy of the party’s founding chairman Quaid-i-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto is the promise to every citizen of provision of Roti, Kapra Aur Makaan. We are still firm on that philosophy,” he said on the eve of the PPP Foundation Day, in a statement on Wednesday. 

He vowed to create a Pakistan based on the ideology of Benazir Bhutto, one free of class exploitation. He paid tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the restoration of democracy and said that the martyrs were the heroes of the democratic nation. “Party workers are our invaluable asset,” he said. 

He vowed to make Pakistan a place with books in every child’s hands, farmers getting fair fruits of labour and labourers attaining justice. He said today the Constitution was supreme and for the restoration of this Constitution in its original form, thousands of workers rendered incomparable sacrifices. It is a great achievement of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that today there is freedom of speech in the country for which Jiyalas struggled long and hard.

He said that an independent, dignified, sovereign Pakistan was the mission of Benazir Bhutto. He said the party was determined to build a progressive, enlightened, egalitarian and just society for which Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto sacrificed their lives.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked Jiyalas to brace themselves as February 8 could be a milestone for decisively defeating the age-old traditional politics as well as politics of hatred, division and exploitation.

“The PPP victory in the upcoming general elections is the guarantee of freedom of 22 crore people from the chains of record inflation, unemployment and poverty,” he said on the eve of the 56th Foundation Day of the Pakistan Peoples Party. “Our morale is high because farmers, labourers, salaried class, small traders and enlightened people across the country are with us. Our victory is certain since the youth of Pakistan are now standing firmly on the field with the PPP which is not just a political organization, but rather a movement, in fact. We are determined to complete the unfinished mission of the party’s founding chairman Quaid-i-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto,” he said.

Bilawal said no one could understand the importance and efficacy of democracy in Pakistan as well as the supremacy of the Constitution and parliament better than Jiyalas, adding that the struggle to make democracy, Constitution and parliamentary supremacy inviolable is not over yet. The centralist thinking that wants to run the federal units like a colony is still plotting to restore the 17th Amendment in a new form to replace the 18th Amendment. “As long as even a single Jiyala stands in the field, no aggressor can harm the agenda of provincial sovereignty and people’s prosperity,” he warned and said ZAB had founded the party on a political wisdom and far-reaching vision, and following which “we have to build a prosperous and strong Pakistan in which the rights and interests of all countrymen are taken care of equally”.

Paying tribute to Benazir Bhutto for her unparalleled struggle and sacrifice, he said Shaheed Bibi resisted dictatorship, centralism and extremism throughout her life and protected the fundamental rights of people and fought for their prosperity. “Bhuttoism as well as the philosophy and vision of Benazir Bhutto are beacon in our struggle.”

The PPP chairman said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), 18th Amendment, NFC Award, transfer of unfettered presidential powers to parliament, Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and Pakistan Khappay are reflection of Asif Ali Zardari’s vision. “We will carry forward former president Asif Ali Zardari’s brilliant and timeless vision to develop and strengthen Pakistan.” He paid tribute to party workers who endured hardships of imprisonment and exile, faced flogging and bravely kissed the gallows for the sake of democracy in the country. He reiterated that the party would not let the sacrifices of its great cadres go in vain.

He expressed solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and supported their right to self-determination. “We will never forget that the PPP was founded on the Kashmir issue,” he said, adding that his party would continue to support Kashmiri brothers politically, diplomatically and morally till their independence from Indian occupation.

He said the Foundation Day is a day of renewal for every party office-bearer and worker. Today every Jiyala must pledge to strengthen the PPP.