Pakistan

PPP decides to fight all odds in streets

Zardari tells party members to go to their constituencies and "start mobilising people...they are our soldiers."

Zia Khan October 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Sensing the worse might already be knocking on the doors of its beleaguered rule, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has set in motion a mass contact movement to ‘fight all the odds in the streets’.

“Go to your constituencies and start mobilising people…they are our soldiers and we will have to rely on their strength ultimately,” was the message President Asif Ali Zardari sent across the party fold at a meeting on Thursday night.

Participants of Zardari’s meeting with the party’s parliamentarians from Punjab told The Express Tribune that they felt for the first time judging by the tone and tenor of the president that he was anticipating ‘anything at anytime’.

However, this was contradicted by some of the participants who said that the president vowed to fight back in case a ‘conspiracy is hatched by someone’.

The meeting took place the same night the Supreme Court reacted to media reports that the government might attempt to ‘purge’ a hostile judiciary by withdrawing an executive order under which judges were restored in 2009.

PPP parliamentarians from Punjab said that the order by the president to mobilise masses in constituencies was a call to prepare for any ‘eventuality’ of an ongoing government-judiciary row.

On Thursday, officials in the PPP said that the party secretary-general Jahangir Badar embarked upon a hurriedly planned visit to several areas of the Hazara division, where he held meetings mostly with lawyers loyal to the group.

“This was, for sure, a starting point,” one of the officials spoke of the trip and added that Badar might be visiting bar councils in Punjab as well.

Moreover, other prominent leaders from the party will also be establishing contacts with workers, especially lawyers, to generate support for the government in case of a showdown with the judiciary.

It was at the last meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) in Islamabad that Zardari hinted at ‘fighting it out into the streets and onto the roads’ if its government was toppled. “Get ready for anything…any call can be given at any time,” Zardari said in an address to party’s decision-making Central Executive Committee (CEC) last month.

With fresh directives from the top to get in touch with masses, several PPP leaders believe the call has already been given.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (33)

chandka | 13 years ago | Reply Can any body provide details of the perks and privileges the superior judges are getting. Their packages are far more than the Federal ministers are getting. Taxpayers and People have all the right to know what sums of monies are being spent by the exchequer on judges who are hell bent to destabilize all the democratic governments and has legalized all the dictators to the extent of granting them tenures to rule and to amend the constitution.

basharat | 13 years ago | Reply The conduct of the judiciary as a whole, with exception of a few courageous judges , had been despicable, it surrenders in front of usurpers at the time of military take overs , behave and react so meekly which is unbecoming of the judges of the highest Court of the Country . They are expected to show exemplary courage , but majority of them , surrender and readily prostrate before the military dictators , but in case of the democratically elected governments , they become aggressive and undermine the authority of democratic governments , through their judgments , and strange interpretations of the Constitution . After military take over of October 1999 , supreme Court Bench to which present Chief justice of Pakistan was a member , validated the Military regime , allowed it to amend the Constitution , allowed the dictator to rule the Country for three years , without holding any elections , declared president´s election through referendum to be legal , whereas it was in contravention of the constitutional provisions provided for election of the President . All judgments and interpretations of the constitution ( except for last year of Mushurraf rule ) were intended to facilitate smooth running of Mushurraf Government , so much so the judiciary voluntarily tolerated a president in uniform . The role of the politicians , unluckily , is not at all ideal , they, for tactical gains , inadvertently or voluntarily, put themselves to be manipulated in the hands of the establishment . If wisdom could prevail over hope of short lived political gains , Nawaz League should not forget as to what had happened on 12th October , 1999 .

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F. U. Khan | 13 years ago | Reply On Thursday night, Mr. Zardari’s directive to his party office-bearers and workers “Go to your constituencies ……….ultimately” tantamount to blowing the bugle of war with judiciary and the forces denouncing the prevailing corruptions of the party and demanding mid-term elections. This is not a good omen. This clearly negates the PPP Government’s emphatic rhetoric that we came to power with the votes of of masses and we will go on governing the country until the people of the country decide it otherwise. The existing dogmatism being demonstrated by him, confrontation and refutation to Supreme Court’s verdicts denotes that no power can oust him from his throne. This all signifies that through this message across his party, he is preparing his supporters and party leaders who he claims as his soldiers onto the roads. This is going to be a very bad address which completely undermines the existence of the ill-starred country. What can be the resultant outcome – one can predict that leaving the country beleaguered with bloodletting and turbulence, the high-profile leadership of the PPP will escape clandestinely to a safer heaven for a permanent asylum – for never to return. The next player in queue will take over and will rob whatever is left in the orphaned country.

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan's short history is very strange you can see its pages full of incidents based on actions of military might. Elected governments were toppled by force. Some pages will tell you stories of fabricated criminal cases and trial on fake occurrence and you also find the pages of the history smeared with blood of innocent high profile. As a democratic minded,we should admit that present government is a elected one, to rule over the country is its right for the time as state's constitution permits but as have seen,conspiracies are being hatched to finish it forthwith, such actions and behave has become tradition which has brought us at the brink. Every one, living in this country know about the time we are passing through, hundred and hundred of thousand people,awaiting aid are dying with diseases created by flood water infested with snacks and other countless insects, they want rehabilitation,food,medicines and other daily essentials but all are being ignored, politics is going on between institutions. We have decided to face insurgency, for this purpose our armed forces are fighting at different fronts and sacrifices are being given continuously but you will see no such rift you find in the terrorists as we have in our political leaders for power, they have no care plight of the people compelled to pass their lives below the line of poverty. What they are doing in the time of test, talking about long march, meetings are called to discuss,how to break the institution, some groups are busy in making planes for trapping a big fish in the net. but all are still failed,Pakistan long live,long live Pakistan.

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.The most rubbish,ridiculous and substandard campaign PPPP is starting on street level to add socially,economically and financially destroyed common man as its soldiers.Once again the most horrible joke of PPPP's leaders with the poor nation is going to be started in Pakistan whereas all the government's attentions and efforts are only on SC and NAB cases to secure and rescue corrupt and NRO certified leader,ministers and bureaucrats and common man's problems and difficulties are still being ignored on large scale and poor man has been coerced to sell his children and to commit suicides just due to hunger,poverty,unemployment and expensiveness.Although PPPP leadership didn't fulfill its promise to give bread,cloth and home and facts have been changed and these initial life requirement's things are getting more and more expensive and have been out of common man's reach.How PPPP's leaders expect from the nation that the nation shall be their soldiers?A new project of deceiving to common man is going to be launched.Shame,curse and woe be on the present kingly leaders accused of corruption and money laundering.

Dur Muhammed | 13 years ago | Reply Democracy--Parliamentarian-- Fighting-- in- Streets/Parliament ? People of Pakistan want democracy in the country , change in constitution by parliament, Rule of Law, Government by the people for the people--only one way save Country. Other way---Long time ago , we have already people on the job, fighting in the streets-they are hopeless from parliament, never participate election-- It is clear for every one . Pakistani suffer a lot from dictatorship & supporters . Same people always in power , every time just they change thier parties & name of parties--Our leaders just acting - like actors-- Time and tide wait for no one. Dur Muhammed

Robert Collins | 13 years ago | Reply Seems like present rulers of Pakistan don't want fairness, merit and rule of Law. They use ordinary public for their selfish , egoistic and lavish life styles.

Mowadat | 13 years ago | Reply Biased Judges ( Ranjeet Sings of today ) should be subjected to Medical Check up before Experienced Psychotrists

Muhibullah | 13 years ago | Reply

Military generates 50% of her own budget through the foundation and other defense production industries so please correct your figures

This is completely wrong, in fact military enterprises frequently fail and then are provided 'relief' through the government treasury. Our military has fought three wars and lost all three. All the military is good for is taking over residential and agricultural land of the people. Some people scream about the "land mafia", the Pakistani Army is the biggest land mafia in the country.

Nazir Habib | 13 years ago | Reply Sultan of Abbottabad!!! Bulls eye. Yes, you are right and focussed. Salams and best wishes.

Tahir | 13 years ago | Reply If we, the people of Pakistan, do not wake up and see how we have been used over the years by politicians, we deserve the similar politicians over and over again. I think we deserve these people because we keep bringing these corrupt individuals who are good for nothing. I personally think people should vote for Imran Khan and MQM in the next elections and give them a land-slide majority.

Sultan, Abbottabad | 13 years ago | Reply Sorry! I forgot to add one more thing most of the people when they say "Democracy" they mean "Corruption". Politicians deprive Pakistan of about Rs. 1,500/- Billion per year.

Sultan, Abbottabad | 13 years ago | Reply Military generates 50% of her own budget through the foundation and other defense production industries so please correct your figures. I am a civilian and a staunch supporter of civilian rule but surely not the one we are having or had in the past. Is Supreme Court doing anything wrong?. Definitely not, SC is just trying to prevent the rulers from robbing billions of public money. You forgot, didn't you?. SC ordered Adnan Khawaja (A Criminal) to be de-notified as MD OGDCL, 100% marks. SC ordered Hamesh Khan of BoP be brought back, 100% marks. SC took up steel mills fraud case, 100% marks. SC ordered NAB's acting Chairman to stop unconstitutional work, 100% marks. SC asked petroleum ministry to be transparent in 25 Billion US $ contract, 100% marks. List is very long. Anybody please tell me what wrong is being done by the Supreme Court? Educate me please.

Malik R G | 13 years ago | Reply So sad that when PPP started way back in the 60's it was the party of the poor..ZAB gave us a voice to speak...and today Pakistan's richest man is the head of the party..he wants the poor to come out on the streets to save his money..

T. Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Zardari Saheb you had three years and we do not even see the intent to achieve any goals for the people who elected you. All you did was appoint cronies, convicts and half educated men to head NIC, PIA, TCP, OGDC, PSO, SNGPL, PASSCO, Rental Power Projects etc and in the process the state has been raped. The people hoped that this time you would not repeat p[ast mistakes. But what you did was not just the same, even worse. Where were the poor people whom you promised Roti Kapra aur Makan, when the sugar cartels hoarded their stocks and raised the prices all in the name of free market. It seems that for those elected, business comes first, and politics is just a secondary issue. Who forced your government to drive Railways to a loss, curtail the sole mode of transportation for the poor, while you insisted on buying 75 locomotives from the same blacklisted supplier in China, from whom Mush and his gang of robbers placed orders. China has the worlds best railway system, but somehow rulers in Pakistan manage to find a supplier who manufactures defective engines.

Saeed | 13 years ago | Reply One fails to understand that why conspiracies are hatched against the Democratic Governments in our country, and particularly against the Government of pakistan people,s party Government. Was it not the Judiciary who is responsible for the judicial murder of Z.A Bhutto and a number of other instances are there that Judiciary has been biased in its decisions against people,s party. Why the Chief Minister Punjab is being allowed to rule punjab by the judiciary granting him injunction in a case against him? Or leaders from other parties are angels? Let the Government of the pakistan people,s party complete its term and let the people decide in the elections held after completion of their tenure and stop the conspiracies being hatched from certain quarters against the the PPP Government, including the certain blackmailing media channels who have their own vested interests and wants to hide their own discrepencies.

S. Ali Raza | 13 years ago | Reply Really? Darn! We remember 27th December 2008 when the PPP loyalists went around burning anything and everything they saw. Compensation for the damage then, was never given either. But the call for worker mobilisation coming from President, is something our Army needs to take seriously.

Eeman | 13 years ago | Reply Sitting far from Pakistan, munching popcorn and looking at these useless creatures fighting for power in this besieged, impoverished, rattled with terrorism, inundated with floods and beleaguered with drones, country.

hassan | 13 years ago | Reply Save us Musharraf.... Stability was only felt in your era!..... I have forgotten how it feels... Busineses are crashing... Save us!

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply How many cases has the Honorable (independent) Judiciary solved so far, concerning the common populace ??? Sorry to say but it seems like the Honorable Justices are lead by Geo and Jhang then by the need of the populace to have speedy and easy accessable justice. . Did they ever took notice of the Muslim Khan (TTP Swat spokesman), the brutality of whom I don't need to repeat here or that of TNSM cheif openly denouncing the constitution of the country or is it that the honorable Justices can't hear and watch those video tapes ??? Is article 6 not for such people? and is just for the governmnet of secular parties, who are not let to work by all the actors (establishment, media (mostly from one ethnicity, sadly), and now the courts as well). . What shell we logically expect from a government who is constatly enraged by all these actors? and then we say, they are not doing well, because the media from a province says so. . I'm seeing the day where the Honorable Justices are threatning the governmnet with article 6, yet i have to see the day when they will ever call that mother from Swat whos son and husband was killed by the Talibs, attacking their house, just becuase they didn't surrender to the pathetic ideas of these terrorists, and will apply provide her justice or will watch the videos of Sufi Mohammad (TNSM) where he said "I don't accept the consititution of Pakistan" and will apply the same article 6 on him !!!!! . such a sad moment and so unbelieveable actions of the honorable Justices. And I really feel shame with the so called independent media, who have just pesimists setting there giving a gloomy picture of the country.

Amir | 13 years ago | Reply If one can not talk sensibily, debate logically, accept the consequences, than bring on the BULLY's..

Latif | 13 years ago | Reply Please don't make the poor people human shields to protect corruption, misgovernance.

Ahmed Saleemi | 13 years ago | Reply Paranoid judiciary being fed by sensationalist media

muzamil | 13 years ago | Reply come back mush and save the country

Circus Ka Mualvi | 13 years ago | Reply Afterall democracy is the best revenge!! The corrupt military which siphons 60% of our budget will deliver us from a corrupt democratic government which siphons off 15% of our budget.

Aftab Kenneth Wilson | 13 years ago | Reply PPP and those who want democracy to flourish in our country must come up strongly against the forces of destruction other wise they will again be thrown out as tissue paper. If you people are given tough time which is evident from the history of PPP when ever it came into power then do what is necessary to protect democracy from these "Political Cartels". Don't bow down to those forces which were nurtured by the dictators. You already had enough, and this time, enough is enough.

Malik R G | 13 years ago | Reply The man needs to see a Dr real quick..

an | 13 years ago | Reply Go Zardari GO. Finish these biased judges.

Qazi | 13 years ago | Reply Mobilizing People, arranging seminars, restoring student politics, and encouraging public debate, these things should have been done much earlier. May be Mr. President wanted People to see all the games that have been unfolded up till now. I think he wanted all the satra karorees to expose their selves first. I think he wanted people of Pakistan to burst this balloon of popularity (who dose not have the capacity to be elected union councilors without agencies’ support) pumped by this pathetic media. But it's never too late...

Mir | 13 years ago | Reply Can Mr Jehangir Badr tell us, who owns the hotels in Scotland?.

Mir | 13 years ago | Reply The President wants the people to come out and defend him, while the same people for last three years were victimised by the sugar cartel, cement cartel, LPG cartel, oil mafia, land mafia, feudals etc etc. Revolutionary changes in the media have made the people aware of what is happening. Nothing has happened to the killers of Benazir Bhutto. People have seen images of 1 Hyde Park most expensive real estate in London bought by ---you know whom-, A to Z when he was on a visit to UK and millions were displaced by floods in Pakistan. Jobs are being sold and merit or education hold no importance for those in power. Come on Mr President---You can't make fool of all the people, all the time.

KM | 13 years ago | Reply Turn Pakistan into a battle field, while yourselves either enjoy in jails or in exiles. It is the masses who dont even know that they are plan at your hands, for a clueless cause.

Fahad | 13 years ago | Reply Yes as poor people in Pakistan die of poverty and in floods.. our great leaders have to focus on supreme court, while forgetting the more supreme issues the nation in confronted with. We don't need them anymore, in fact to hell with such a useless democracy any more... May Allah bless us with military coup! (AMEN)

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