His mother’s fifth anniversary would always be remembered as his coming of age; completing the transition from youth to manhood. Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday made his debut in the country’s politics by making an emotional, and at times charged, speech in Garhi Khuda Buksh, a few yards away from the grave of his mother, former PM Benazir Bhutto. His speech was of extreme importance as it was the first time the PPP chairman orated in national language, Urdu, connecting with millions of Pakistanis, especially PPP workers, alien to English language, which Bilawal is fluent in. Addressing a massive public gathering, Bilawal said he was standing among martyrs and “my grandfather and my mother are with me today”.
“Bhutto is not a name, it’s a mission,” he said. Bilawal said that blood of Benazir was running in his veins and vowed that the PPP would never allow any dictator or terrorists to snatch rights of the people or terrorise them. But he said politics was the name of love, not hatred.
“Why are people afraid when a democratically elected president enters the Presidency?” he questioned, adding why did nobody see dictators like General Zia and General Musharraf. Praising his father, Bilawal said the country would surely have an enlightened future “under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari”. He said the party had laid foundations of a system to provide employment to every youth‚ educate every child and ensure best possible medical care for every citizen. “The PPP brought democracy to this country and it is fully committed to defend it. Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto laid down their lives for the rights of the people and the party would never deviate from their mission, come what may.” The PPP chairman said parliament was sovereign today and the power lay with the people. Bilawal said the Benazir Income Support Programme was fulfilling the needs of the poor regarding education.
The man who would be King
