‘Bhutto should be considered a national hero of democracy’

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh President Nisar Khuhro on Sunday said that 12 years after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari filed a reference, the Supreme Court ruled that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was treated unfairly, admitting that he had not got a fair trial.

Khuhro told the media that Bhutto should be considered a national hero of democracy. He said that on April 4, Bhutto’s death anniversary, the PPP would pay homage to the party’s founder and former prime minister by holding a public meeting in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. Due to Ramazan, the meeting will be held after Iftar.

He also said he wanted to give credit to the political parties, that when the nation gave a split mandate, two parties formed the government, but the PPP tried to take back the Pakistan that had been taken away for eight months.

The PPP leader said the party formed the majority in the assembly without asking for ministries. All the political parties, except the independent group, formed the government together, but the independent group joined the party whose leader participated in the election as an independent candidate, he added.

Replying to a query, he said Zardari would complete the term by defending the democratic system, as he played a pivotal role for the 18th amendment.

He also said that the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award is a long-standing issue that would be given in 2025. The constitution states that the NFC can increase resource distribution in terms of population, he added.

Khuhro said that 17 ministries that are to be transferred to the provinces should be eliminated to save money, including education and other ministries. If this is done, he said, Rs300 billion can be saved. Now, due to public pressure, federal ministers have stopped taking salaries, he added.

Responding to a question about giving Sindh’s lands to the corporate sector, he said that the private sector would settle the lands and then do the handover. Settlement of land is not a bad thing, as it will increase income, and those who are local should be included in this settlement period, he added.