-Late ZA Bhutto’s birthday anniversary held across Sindh
–Asif Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari record special messages
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the leader of poor, downtrodden and oppressed people, and it was solely his vision and wisdom that made Pakistan a nuclear state.
He was addressing a gathering of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) parliamentarians that was organised to celebrate Bhutto’s 91st birth anniversary here at the CM House on Saturday. The gathering was attended by former and sitting ministers, Members of Provincial Assembly (MPA), advisors and special assistants of the chief ministers.
He said that Shaheed Bhutto was a brave and highly educated leader of Pakistan who founded the PPP with an objective to make the country a democratic state in which class system, which had eaten into the vitals of Pakistan, could be eliminated. “He gave a voice to the voiceless and courage to the suppressed. There weren’t any powerful media houses in those days, yet Bhutto delivered his party’s message to each and every person,” he said while adding that the Sindhi leader believed that true national development could not be achieved without the participation of ordinary Pakistani citizens.
The Sindh CM said that the country was dismembered when Bhutto had taken over. “The people were demoralised, India had illegally occupied our territory in Thar and arrested 99,000 people,” he recalled and added that Shaheed Bhutto not only inculcated confidence in his nation but with his statesmanship liberated the arrested people and also vacated the land of Thar from India where coal was being excavated these days.
He said that it was Bhutto’s vision that created a secular political force in the shape of PPP which was further strengthened and vibrated by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. “The message of Shaheed Bhutto’s birth anniversary for party workers is very loud and clear. It is that we should work for the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan, render services for the poor and respect humanity irrespective of religion, caste and creed,” he said.
Latter, Surah Fateha and dua were offered and a cake was also cut to celebrate Shaheed Bhutto’s birth anniversary in a simple ceremony.
After the programme at the CM House, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah along with Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh, Advisor Murtaza Wahab, special Assistants Rashid Rabbani and Waqar Mehdi went to City Court where attended another birthday programme organised by the People Lawyer’s Forum (PLF) President Advocate Qazi Bashir.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Karachi Bar Association President Advocate Naeem Qureshi, Sindh High Court (SHC) Bar Association President Mohammad Adil, PLF President Qazi Bashir and others.
Addressing on the occasion, the chief minister said that Bhutto used to say that there were two Bhuttos- the one living in his body and soul and the other one was infused in each and every individual living in Pakistan. “Today Shaheed Bhutto is no more in this world but he is survived by each and every Pakistani living in this beautiful country,” he said.
He also said that his Shaheed Bhutto and his father Syed Abdullah Shah were practising lawyers, therefore, he has specials regards for the lawyers’ community and would solve their problems on priority basis.
He added that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto also appreciates lawyers’ struggle for the restoration of democracy. “I am quite happy to see the lawyers in a large number attending the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhutto – this shows that he is survived by all of you,” he concluded.
He vowed to protect the constitution of Pakistan and said they would halt all conspiracies against PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former President Asif Ali Zardari.
Furthermore, a Quran recital was held inside the Bhutto mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bux town to mark the occasion. Larkana District PPP President Abdul Fatah Bhutto, party leaders Ejaz Leghari and Ahad Jamal, and other party activists attended the Quran Khawani.
In Naundero, PPP leaders and workers also celebrated Bhutto’s 91st birthday anniversary. They cut a cake and paid a glowing tribute to the martyred Sindhi leader.
In Larkana, the day was celebrated at the Open Air Theater of the Arts Council.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh PPP Chief Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that a conspiracy was being hatched to replace Bhutto’s constitution with another system to reduce the status of the provinces.
In a message on this occasion, former president Asif Ali Zardari paid a glowing tribute to his deceased father-in-law, expressed his resolve to remain steadfast on the principles of “respect for humans and liberty” and vowed to follow the slogan “all powers to the people”.
“Shaheed Bhutto rebuilt a country which had been turned into ashes before he came to power. He gave the nation strength and gave voice to the downtrodden masses,” Zardari said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PPP leadership and jiyalas will continue the struggle to take the philosophy, vision and mission of his grandfather and mother forward.