Tomorrow’s leaders: Zardari urges youth to fight anti-Malala mindset
President calls for securing the country for future generations.
ISLAMABAD:
President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that Pakistan was facing a great challenge from the mindset that attacked iconic child activist Malala Yousafzai in Swat.
Currently under treatment in a hospital in Birmingham, UK, Malala was shot and critically wounded, along with two school mates, by a gunman from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), for promoting secular education in the region.
The Maulana Fazlullah-led TTP had launched a bloody campaign to impose their obscurantist agenda in Swat until they were routed in a massive military operation in 2009.
Addressing the second ‘Pakistan Leaders of Tomorrow’ conference at the Presidency on Tuesday, President Zardari urged the youth to take up the challenge and fight this mindset as it is threatening the country and the future generations.
Appreciating the potential of the youth in Pakistan, the president said that we should not think of what the country has given us but “what we have given to the country”.
PPP’s political achievements
On the political front, President Zardari said that after assuming office, he voluntarily gave up all his powers to Parliament in order to strengthen democracy in the country.
He insisted that it was his priority to empower the provinces for strengthening Pakistan and safeguarding the future of the coming generations.
“The first thing I did after assuming office was to create a consensus in parliament for the empowerment of the people,” he added.
Referring to his voluntarily transfer of powers to parliament, President Zardari said that he even transferred the control of the nuclear power and entrusted it to parliament.
“Collective wisdom is always better than individual wisdom; therefore, the PPP always adopted the policy of reconciliation and empowered parliament which is the true representative of the people of Pakistan,” he stated.
Referring to the fluid security situation in the country, the president said attempts were being made to weaken Pakistan, but he strengthened the federating units in order to strengthen the country, promote unity and harmony, and to counter those designs.
The later part of the president’s speech turned into an interactive session where he invited students to ask questions.
Drone strikes
Replying to a question regarding the contentious drone strikes, the president said, “Pakistan has very clear policy on the drone attacks,” and added that the government had taken a number of steps to provide relief to the affected people.
“We have to find solution to the drone issue through diplomatic means,” he added.
He revealed that the affected areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata had been allocated more development funds as compared to previous years.
Bilalwal’s speech
Speaking at the same event, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called upon all political parties to unite and cooperate with each other to fight terrorism for the sake of a safe and secure future of the country.
“Pakistan has been facing the menace of extremism and terrorism and there is a need for united efforts by all the political forces to face these challenges,” Bilawal said. “Our country is under attack. Pakistan is under attack. You are either with us or against us. It is that simple.”
Referring to the joint responsibilities to face the threat of terrorism, the PPP chairman said that keeping in view the importance of the issue, the PPP had put old differences with other political forces aside and was ready to unite against this common enemy.
He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been part of the coalition in the initial months and the government was able to build the necessary consensus in the country that allowed it to end the Taliban rule in Swat.
Bilawal said he was certain that Nawaz Sharif was genuinely an ally in supporting democracy in the country.
He also welcomed Imran Khan’s decision to finally take part in the next general elections and expressed the confidence that his inclusion will have a positive impact on politics in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2012.
President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that Pakistan was facing a great challenge from the mindset that attacked iconic child activist Malala Yousafzai in Swat.
Currently under treatment in a hospital in Birmingham, UK, Malala was shot and critically wounded, along with two school mates, by a gunman from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), for promoting secular education in the region.
The Maulana Fazlullah-led TTP had launched a bloody campaign to impose their obscurantist agenda in Swat until they were routed in a massive military operation in 2009.
Addressing the second ‘Pakistan Leaders of Tomorrow’ conference at the Presidency on Tuesday, President Zardari urged the youth to take up the challenge and fight this mindset as it is threatening the country and the future generations.
Appreciating the potential of the youth in Pakistan, the president said that we should not think of what the country has given us but “what we have given to the country”.
PPP’s political achievements
On the political front, President Zardari said that after assuming office, he voluntarily gave up all his powers to Parliament in order to strengthen democracy in the country.
He insisted that it was his priority to empower the provinces for strengthening Pakistan and safeguarding the future of the coming generations.
“The first thing I did after assuming office was to create a consensus in parliament for the empowerment of the people,” he added.
Referring to his voluntarily transfer of powers to parliament, President Zardari said that he even transferred the control of the nuclear power and entrusted it to parliament.
“Collective wisdom is always better than individual wisdom; therefore, the PPP always adopted the policy of reconciliation and empowered parliament which is the true representative of the people of Pakistan,” he stated.
Referring to the fluid security situation in the country, the president said attempts were being made to weaken Pakistan, but he strengthened the federating units in order to strengthen the country, promote unity and harmony, and to counter those designs.
The later part of the president’s speech turned into an interactive session where he invited students to ask questions.
Drone strikes
Replying to a question regarding the contentious drone strikes, the president said, “Pakistan has very clear policy on the drone attacks,” and added that the government had taken a number of steps to provide relief to the affected people.
“We have to find solution to the drone issue through diplomatic means,” he added.
He revealed that the affected areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata had been allocated more development funds as compared to previous years.
Bilalwal’s speech
Speaking at the same event, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called upon all political parties to unite and cooperate with each other to fight terrorism for the sake of a safe and secure future of the country.
“Pakistan has been facing the menace of extremism and terrorism and there is a need for united efforts by all the political forces to face these challenges,” Bilawal said. “Our country is under attack. Pakistan is under attack. You are either with us or against us. It is that simple.”
Referring to the joint responsibilities to face the threat of terrorism, the PPP chairman said that keeping in view the importance of the issue, the PPP had put old differences with other political forces aside and was ready to unite against this common enemy.
He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been part of the coalition in the initial months and the government was able to build the necessary consensus in the country that allowed it to end the Taliban rule in Swat.
Bilawal said he was certain that Nawaz Sharif was genuinely an ally in supporting democracy in the country.
He also welcomed Imran Khan’s decision to finally take part in the next general elections and expressed the confidence that his inclusion will have a positive impact on politics in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2012.