Soon PPP man will be President of the country: Zardari

LAHORE : PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari said here Thursday that the days are not far off when a PPP man would be President of the country and the President House would echo with Jiye Bhutto slogans. Speaking at the launching of Jehangir Badar’s book ‘The Evolution of Democracy’ at Aiwan-e-Iqbal he said, “ PPP has history of struggle against dictators and is ready to offer sacrifices for ensuring true democracy in the country.”
The function was attended by PPP leaders and intellectuals besides a large number of workers.
Amid vociferous slogans of workers he said, “ PPP has the credit of making Pervez Musharraf a civilian president while its struggle against dictatorial forces would continue.”
He said PPP is proud of having given supreme sacrifices for the cause of democracy.”Our founder chairman was martyred while Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto also laid down her life for the same cause.”
The PPP Co-chairman said it is due to sacrifices by PPP leader and workers that people across the country not only vote for PPP but are prepared to offer every sacrifice for it.
He said dictatorial forces in their bid to crush PPP badly failed and those who conspired against PPP and its leaders have eliminated themselves.
Asif Ali Zardari said that PPP leaders and workers are committed to the mission of founding chairman for which they can give every sacrifice.
He said when first attack was made on Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s caravan in Karachi on october 18 many had asked her to do politics by remaining at home like many other politicians. But she refused saying “ I am daughter of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and can sacrifice even my life for the cause of my people and democracy.”
The PPP Co-Chairman said Benazir was assassinated but her mission is continuing and soon President, Prime Minister and chief ministers would go to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh to make a pledge to accomplish the mission.
Amid deafening slogans of ‘Zinda hae BiBi Zinda hae’, and ‘Jiye Bhutto,’ he said PPP is committed to achieving the objective of providing bread, clothes and house to every countrymen.
He said the basic aim of the struggle of the party was to ensure betterment of the masses and the march forward in this regard would continue despite any odds.
The PPP has faced dictators in the past and if needed its vanguards are ready to face such forces in future.
He said it was Bhuttoism that when Benazir was attacked on December 27, PPP workers rushed towards their beloved leader without caring for their lives, instead of fleeing.
PPP Co-Chairman said those who intrigued against PPP and committed excesses with its leader to eliminate PPP, were today themselves on the run and are running to different countries.
He said PPP believed in democratic norms and wanted to take all political forces along adding that it is for the first time in the history of the country that Chief Executive of Balochistan belonged to PPP.
He said PPP leaders and workers would give blood donation on the occasion birth anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on June 21 renewing their pledge not to refrain from offering any sacrifice for the cause of democracy.
Earlier,Jehangir Badar speaking on the occasion said that he has dedicated his book ‘The Evolution of Democracy’ to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and its foreword was written by her.
Through a resolution which was unanimously approved by people, he said as a mark of respect to struggle and supreme sacrifice offered by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, people belonging to all sections of society including workers, lawyers, students, ulema, intellectuals, traders, politicians and members of assemblies demand of the government of Pakistan to declare June 21, birth day of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as ‘Quaid-e-Jamuriat Day’ and December 27, the day when she embraced martyrdom as ‘Shaheed-e-Jamuriat Day.”
Dr. Mehdi Hassan, an intellectual, speaking on the occasion said that democracy could not flourish in the country because establishment always targeted PPP and hatched conspiracies against it.
He said Ziaul Haq executed founder Chairman of the party Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto through judiciary while his widow and daughter were put behind bars and later sent in exile.
He said when PPP again came into power with the support of masses after the death of Ziaul Haq in plane crash, again conspiracies were hatched and even IJI was founded to counter PPP.
He said now there is coalition government in the country which is new experiment in the political history of the country.
He said in a coalition government, partners are responsible for decisions and acts of the government and if a coalition partner behaves like opposition, it causes damage to coalition.
He said as per Charter of Democracy signed by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif any judge who take oath under PCO cannot remain judge.