Bilawal wants world to see Pakistan’s real face

He was addressing a gathering during closing ceremony of a two-week Sindh Festival at Makli Stadium in Thatta, Sindh.

THATTA: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, patron in chief of the ruling party in Sindh, said on Saturday that he wanted to show the world the real face of Pakistan through the cultural prism of the Sindh Festival.

“We aren’t Arabs and not the product of the West. We have our own identity. We aren’t terrorists. Our country is under threat. Our culture, values and civilisation is under threat,” Bilawal said in an impassioned speech, which he delivered in Urdu with visible confidence.

He was addressing a gathering during the closing ceremony of a two-week Sindh Festival at Makli Stadium in Thatta, Sindh.

Bilawal was of the view that some people were not happy that he started the Sindh Festival from Mohen jo Daro in Larkana. “They can’t digest the fact that civilisation of the world started from Larkana, which is in Sindh and which is the hometown of Bhuttos,” he added.

He recounted the outcome of the events arranged by the Sindh Festival. “Now other nations have seen what Pakistan is and its civilisation, culture and original face.”

Through cultural activities, he said, his dream to present a softer image of Pakistan to the world was fulfilled. He proudly announced that it was an honour for him that he was delivering his speech from Thatta – once the capital of Sindh.

Bilawal also criticised Pakistan’s education system and curricula and said subjects such as Pakistan Studies and Islamiat were not taught correctly. He said the people who once opposed the founder of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam, now wanted to impose their self-proclaimed version of religion.

“Let me tell you what Islam is. Islam is the name to serve humanity,” he said.

He said the people of Sindh were ambassadors of peace even 5,000 years ago, and they still loved peace and tranquility. “But militants want people of Pakistan to forget Mohen jo Daro and its civilisation,” he added.

He said Islam came to the sub-continent from Sindh, and the first translation of the Holy Quran was in Sindhi. “I want to make it clear to militants that Islam came to the region from Sindh.  So don’t teach us Islam. Don’t teach us Sharia. We are well aware of Islam.”

The PPP leader also criticised the ongoing talks between the government and Taliban committees, and insisted that the exercise wasn’t likely to bear fruit. “This is not the way to survive with other nations. We have to go with the world,” Bilawal stressed.


Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2014.