PPP co-chairman strikes a conciliatory tone
Says his party will continue to support democracy through parliament
Asif Ali Zardari, (C in traditional cap), former president of Pakistan and co-chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) political party, gestures to his supporters after returning from Dubai, at the airport's old Jinnah terminal in Karachi, Pakistan, December 23, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari returned to a rapturous welcome on Friday after spending 18 months in self-imposed exile shuttling between London and Dubai. “We will continue to support democracy through parliament as the alternative to democracy is perilous,” he told a cheering crowd at the old terminal of Karachi airport.
“We had handed over power to the elected government despite the fact their {PML-N’s] mandate was questionable,” Zardari said while speaking from behind a bullet-proof glass installed atop a bomb-proof truck also used by PPP’s slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto during her homecoming in 2007. Zardari chanted slogans of ‘Jeay Bhutto’ and ‘Pakistan Khappay’ during his speech.
Contrary to the speeches of his son, Bilawal Bhutto, who is also PPP’s chairman, Zardari neither targeted the PML-N government nor did he announce any agitation movement. However, he said his party would not let a ‘family of investors’ rule the poor. “We, with the help of people, become a stumbling block for these looters,” he said.
Zardari said PPP’s founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto had been martyred in Rawalpindi, but the party did not give up democracy as ‘democracy is the best revenge’. “Whenever I travel in the world, I tell people that democracy is strengthening in Pakistan and that we are not the country to promote non-state actors.”
Zardari said when he left the country in June last year, ‘political actors’ had claimed that he had escaped. “Time and again, I have told them that I will be buried in Garhi Khuda Bukhsh and will not escape,” he added.
“There is a sense of despair in Pakistan and I’ve brought hope with me,” he said. “I assure you that my program will give you a new hope. It does not matter who is ruling the country today. The time will come when we will come to power again and solve people’s problems.”
He said Pakistan faced multiple threats, but the PPP would not let it become a failed state like Syria. “Despite skirmishes on the border with India, our country is secure due to the sacrifices of the masses and armed forces,” he said.
The PPP co-chairman said Pakistan’s flag has become a symbol for Kashmiris. “I am not saying this, but the youth of Kashmir has hoisted our flags in their hands and have started struggle for it and those who struggle cannot see defeat,” he said, adding that Kashmir was bound to become a part of Pakistan.
Talking with reference to the Chine-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he claimed the credit for the idea of the multibillion-dollar network of road and rail links. “They are denying us the credit by forgetting the actual architect of this project.”
Zardari returned alone even though Bilawal was also in Dubai. There are reports that Zardari was not permitted by the UAE to travel with Bilawal in the same jet. He was received by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, former prime ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Parvez Ashraf, former CM Qaim Ali Shah, Rehman Malik, Nisar Khuhro, Qamar Zaman Kaira and others.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2016.
PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari returned to a rapturous welcome on Friday after spending 18 months in self-imposed exile shuttling between London and Dubai. “We will continue to support democracy through parliament as the alternative to democracy is perilous,” he told a cheering crowd at the old terminal of Karachi airport.
“We had handed over power to the elected government despite the fact their {PML-N’s] mandate was questionable,” Zardari said while speaking from behind a bullet-proof glass installed atop a bomb-proof truck also used by PPP’s slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto during her homecoming in 2007. Zardari chanted slogans of ‘Jeay Bhutto’ and ‘Pakistan Khappay’ during his speech.
Contrary to the speeches of his son, Bilawal Bhutto, who is also PPP’s chairman, Zardari neither targeted the PML-N government nor did he announce any agitation movement. However, he said his party would not let a ‘family of investors’ rule the poor. “We, with the help of people, become a stumbling block for these looters,” he said.
Zardari said PPP’s founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto had been martyred in Rawalpindi, but the party did not give up democracy as ‘democracy is the best revenge’. “Whenever I travel in the world, I tell people that democracy is strengthening in Pakistan and that we are not the country to promote non-state actors.”
Zardari said when he left the country in June last year, ‘political actors’ had claimed that he had escaped. “Time and again, I have told them that I will be buried in Garhi Khuda Bukhsh and will not escape,” he added.
“There is a sense of despair in Pakistan and I’ve brought hope with me,” he said. “I assure you that my program will give you a new hope. It does not matter who is ruling the country today. The time will come when we will come to power again and solve people’s problems.”
He said Pakistan faced multiple threats, but the PPP would not let it become a failed state like Syria. “Despite skirmishes on the border with India, our country is secure due to the sacrifices of the masses and armed forces,” he said.
The PPP co-chairman said Pakistan’s flag has become a symbol for Kashmiris. “I am not saying this, but the youth of Kashmir has hoisted our flags in their hands and have started struggle for it and those who struggle cannot see defeat,” he said, adding that Kashmir was bound to become a part of Pakistan.
Talking with reference to the Chine-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he claimed the credit for the idea of the multibillion-dollar network of road and rail links. “They are denying us the credit by forgetting the actual architect of this project.”
Zardari returned alone even though Bilawal was also in Dubai. There are reports that Zardari was not permitted by the UAE to travel with Bilawal in the same jet. He was received by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, former prime ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Parvez Ashraf, former CM Qaim Ali Shah, Rehman Malik, Nisar Khuhro, Qamar Zaman Kaira and others.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2016.