GARHI KHUDA BAKHSH: Recounting all the times it had
‘victimised’ the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — from the execution of
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to the acquittal of Benazir’s killers — Bilawal
Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday vowed to continue his mother’s struggle for
an independent judiciary.
Addressing the multitudes that
had gathered at the Bhutto mausoleum to mark the 10th death anniversary
of his mother, the PPP co-chairperson railed against the government,
accusing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of weakening
parliament.
Recalling how Benazir was sick of self-proclaimed guardians of the faith, he opposed the nexus between religion and politics
“From
the missing persons to the innocents of Kasur, the courts have failed
us all, even me,” he said, referring to the recent acquittal of several
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan suspects in the Benazir Bhutto murder case.
However,
Mr Bhutto-Zardari assured the judiciary that “we will not block your
path... we will continue fighting for [the courts’] independence”.
Blames Musharraf for Benazir’s murder; Zardari vows not to support ‘back-stabbers’
In keeping with Benazir’s legacy, he vowed to continue her
struggle for the supremacy of parliament and democracy. “You adopted the
dream of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, now I promise to realise it. I commit to
the fight against terrorism, to the welfare and prosperity of our
people, to eradicating poverty, to ending unemployment and giving homes
to the shelter-less. [Benazir Bhutto] is still the chain of all four
provinces,” he said, recalling the iconic slogan from his mother’s
election campaigns.
Listing the failures of the current
government, he said the provinces were drifting apart and the country
was being strangled by foreign loans, while the economy revolved around
the rich at the cost of the poor.
Farmers are not getting
suitable prices for their produce, he said, terming the ruling party “a
killer government”. “Blood is cheaper than roti today,” he said,
pointedly.
During his speech, as the crowd chanted “Ya
Allah Ya Rasool Benazir Beqasoor,” Mr Bhutto-Zardari interjected with
the slogan “Qatil Qatil Musharraf Qatil,” calling him the murderer of
Benazir Bhutto.
“Those who compelled [Benazir] to appear
in court were now in despair and are trying to portray themselves as
innocent. Those who stood by the killers of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto are the
real thieves,” he said.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari said his mother
was punished for fighting against dictators and her deep love for the
people. “You were punished for advocating the rights of farmers, youth,
women, and demanding equal rights for minorities,” he said.
He
also referenced his mother’s diplomatic acumen, saying that today’s
world could use a Benazir to address the injustices being perpetrated in
Palestine, Myanmar and India-held Kashmir. “The world is burning in the
fire of terrorism and we are merely silent spectators. There is no
leader who can come to our rescue,” he said.
He gave
Benazir credit for her concern for the environment, which led her to
initiate wind and solar energy projects in Sindh and build small dams to
store water. Following in her footsteps, he said, the party had
initiated the Benazir Income Support Programme to help underprivileged
women, allotted them land and opened liver, kidney and heart hospitals
in Sindh to provide free treatment to deserving patients.
Zardari
His
father, PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari warned rivals to only ‘bite
off what you can chew’. In his speech at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, he
cautioned those who were trying to bring a new National Reconciliation
Ordinance and declared that the PPP would reject any such move.
He
claimed that double standards in justice would not be allowed, adding
that the party would not stand by those who had “always stabbed us in
the back”.
He said a conspiracy had been hatched against
Benazir, and it still continued to this day. He boasted that the party
would emerge victorious in the coming elections, from Kashmir to
Gilgit-Baltistan.
The former president said the party was committed to fulfilling Benazir’s mission, recalling how his government had made th
e historic 18th amendment to the Constitution and given Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan their identity.
“Leaders like me will come and go, but the name of Bhutto will remain etched in history,” he concluded.
