PPP activists rally for Gilani

The Pakistan People’s Party organised a rally to express solidarity with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani outside the Lahore Press Club on Friday.
Addressing the rally, PPP Lahore President and Federal Minister for National Heritage Samina Khalid Ghurki said the PPP had always respected the judiciary and that Prime Minister Gilani had restored the judiciary.
She said the PM could never go against the constitution as the PPP was a party which had introduced the constitution of 1973 and it would always protect it.
She said the PM had taken all parties on board on almost every national issue.
PPP Punjab General Secretary Haji Azizur Rehman Chan said the prime minister appeared before the court whenever he was summoned which expressed his respect for the judiciary.
He stated that it was to the credit of President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani that the judiciary enjoyed independence.
The PPP will ensure an independent judiciary in future and unite the nation, he added.
Adviser to Prime Minister and People’s Youth Organisation Punjab President Mian Muhammad Ayub, addressing the rally, said that the elected prime minister had been punished by the Supreme Court for the reasons that he belonged to PPP and that he refused to violate the Constitution. He added it was a double standard that a prime minister who ransacked the Supreme Court was freed, but Prime Minister Gilani who freed the judges, restored the judiciary and obeyed the Constitution was punished. He said Gilani was a hero and would live for ever in history and in the hearts of the people.
“I have faith in the Pakistan People’s Party. I have faith in democracy. I have faith in Pakistan. I have faith in you Mr. prime minister.”Appreciating the courage of Prime Minister Gilani, he said, “You will make Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto proud.””We will get justice. If not now, if not by this court, we will be vindicated in the courts of history,” he added.
PPP workers from all of the party’s chapters and wings, including PPP Punjab, PPP Lahore chapter, People’s Youth Organisation, Women Wing, People’s Lawyer’s Forum, People’s Labour Bureau, People’s Student’s Federation, Ulema Wing, Minorities Wing and Human Rights Wing participated in the rally.
The gathering was also addressed by minorities’ leader Napolean Qayyum, PPP Women Wing Lahore President Faiza Malik, PLF President Khurram Latif Khosa and MPA Saghira Islam.
The participants were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of the prime minister.
Earlier, addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, PYO Punjab President Mian Ayub said People’s Party and Bhutto were never provided justice by the country’s judiciary. He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged for the crime that he did not commit. When Ziaul Haq imposed martial law and dismissed his government, the Supreme Court did not restore his government. Instead, the court legalized the martial law on the basis of doctrine of necessity. Similarly, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s government was also not restored by the apex court. On the other hand, when the government of Nawaz Sharif was dismissed, it was restored by the apex court. He said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said repeatedly that he would not write a letter to Swiss courts as President Asif Ali Zardari enjoyed immunity. He was ready to sacrifice his office and did not fear disqualification or imprisonment. He called Gilani a hero and said he would live forever in the hearts of the people.