KARACHI, Nov 5: After a long time local chapter of the Pakistan People’s Party staged a protest demonstration on Wednesday outside the Karachi Press Club for the release of Asif Zardari, but could attract only a handful of people.
The protest was part of the PPP’s strategy to step up its campaign for the release of the interned husband of the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
In the past, the Zardari Rehai Committee had been organizing such protest rallies.
The turnout at Wednesday’s demonstration was very low despite appearance by some central leaders. On completion now of seven years of Mr Zardari’s detention, the party released details of the excesses against him and had vowed to mount a strong public campaign for his release. But even those who had released that report, on Tuesday, did not participate in the demonstration. This reflects the groupings that have made ineffective the party’s efforts towards mass mobilization, essential for Asif Zardari’s release and also for the return of the party’s chairperson, Benazir Bhutto.
Speaking to the protesters, deputy secretary general of the PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said that power of the people would succeed in getting Mr Zardari released from the shackles. He said that Mr Zardari was being subjected to imprisonment to compel him to compromise on principles. However, he added, the interned leader remained steadfast on the party’s principled stand on LFO, democratic dispensation, mounting unemployment, price-hike and other issues being faced by the people at large.
President of the PPP Karachi division Haji Muzaffar Shujra said the continued detention of Mr Zardari was an insult to mankind, and added that Ms Bhutto’s spouse was a ‘prisoner of conscience’ who was going through tremendous hardships for remaining committed to the principles of democracy.
Another leader Rashid Rabbani refuted allegations levelled against Mr Zardari as false and cautioned the rulers of divine intervention.
The leaders also appealed to the local and international organizations, European Union, UN bodies and human rights organizations to take note of the situation.
As leaders spoke, the protesters raised slogans against Gen Musharraf’s regime, the LFO and continued detention of Mr Zardari.
