Shafi Ullah
SWAT: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman and Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari here Saturday said that his party strongly believed in democracy and was ready for general election. He directed the party workers to start campaign for General Election.
Addressing a big public gathering here at Khwazakhela, Bilawal Bhutto said that any political party that achieved people’s mandate in free and transperant election would have all the right to form Government and address the country’s problems. He said that PPP has recently won by- election in the country and its candidate was elected a Mayor of Karachi that was a big achievement.
Bilawal Bhutto said PPP has strong roots in masses that would win the upcoming elections and complete the mission of former prime ministers Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Bilawal Bhutto underlined the need for allocation of funds for reconstruction of flood hit areas in the budget 2023-24.
He said that PPP strongly believed in people’s wellbeing and welfare. He paid rich tributes to the people of Swat, who stood against terrorism with bravery and steadfastness. He said PPP Government had fulfilled the promise of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto by hoisting the national flag in Swat. Bilawal Bhutto said that democracy was the best revenge and former President Asif Ali Zardari had raised the slogan of Pakistan “Khapay” after Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was martyred outside Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007.
He said that a selected Prime Minister was ousted from power through a sucessfull no confidence motion under the constitution. He said the entire nation had seen the vandalism and barbaric mindsets of attackers involved on ransacking of defence installations on May 9 after a selected former Prime Minister was arrested in a NAB case. Bilawal Bhutto underlined the need for strict action against elements involved in May 9 vandalism so that no one can dare to attack defence installations, public and government properties and ransacked statues of martyrs.
He said that Quaid e Awam ZAB and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed had given all rights to people including employment and land ownership. He said majority of the country’s population was comprised on youth and demands of our skilled workforce in Middle East and Europe has increased, adding people knew that a selected Prime Minister had deprived youth of jobs.
Bilawal said country’s problems could be addressed by strictly adhering to the PPP manifesto of Shaheed ZAB and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. He said that PPP has started the revolutionary Benazir Bhutto Income Support Program to eradicate poverty. He said PPP’s struggle is against hunger, poverty, unemployment and price hike and not against any political party. Bilawal Bhutto said that Imran Khan’s cypher drama has been badly exposed before masses.
He said the world was keen to work with Pakistan as evident of USD 10 billion pledges and commitment by the international community for an assistance of the flood victims of Pakistan. He said peace in Afghanistan was vital for regional peace and development. Bilawal Bhutto said that PPP has always given respect and honour to its workers while a selected Prime Minister deceived his workers in the name of change.
He thanked the party workers for the successful public meeting at Swat. Minister of State Faisal Karim Kundi and others PPP KP leaders were present. On this occasion, former member national assembly, Dr Haider Ali Khan along with his supporters announced joining of Pakistan People’s Party.
We believe that the economic situation is such that it is troubling every citizen. The PPP believes that its manifesto, one that is the manifesto of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is an asset that we have inherited and contains the answers and solutions to all the political challenges we face. We believe that the PPP is not competing with any other entity or political party, but with hunger, poverty, inflation and unemployment. The day that we eradicate these problems with the help of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s manifesto is not far.
We want for the new generation to support us in our mission to help the country prosper. The time has come for them to be given the opportunity, and if they avail it by supporting us, then no problem would ever be big enough. We need the support of politicians who feel for the people and actually wish to bring about change. The majority of the country’s population is constituted of youngsters and it is the PPP’s priority to integrate them into the decision-making process. In fourteen months, a young Foreign Minister has achieved what no other predecessor could.
There is huge potential all over the world and we know just how willing the world is to work and cooperate with us. When we were combatting climate catastrophes, the world stood with us at a time when certain circles were predicting that it was too busy with the Russia-Ukraine conflict to pay us any heed.
The world needs young people, it wants both low-skilled and high-skilled people, with the only condition of us stabilising ourselves. We will surely work together and strive to show our elders that when given the opportunity, youngsters can make the most of it. When a young politician had proposed to bring forth a no-confidence motion to drive out the selected puppet, it was met by skepticism by the elders but it is this very democratic path that proved to be successful.
The PPP is geared up for the elections and is ready to make history just as it did in the LG elections. We encourage our allies to prepare themselves and contest the elections so that the next government derives solutions to the problems faced by the people.
As far as the budget is concerned, the PPP sent its high-level committee members to the PM and his team, expressing that the budget contained little of the PPP’s input. The federal government had promised the world and provincial governments that it would match the funds spent on flood victims. Hence, we have approached our allies to make them understand that it is imperative that we look after the flood victims in our budget. We have no doubts over the intentions of the PM, as he witnessed the destruction with his own eyes. However, we would like to ask the PM to introspect within his team and hold those hindering this process accountable. We hope that the finance minister, Ishaq Dar and his team would address our concerns and work towards resolving them.
Chairman Bilawal urged the party workers to initiate the process for electoral campaigning as the PPP is ready to avail the opportunity to work towards the realisation of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s dream.
