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| 10 April 2005 | Sunday | 30 Safar 1426 |
Democratic era on return of Zardari: PPP
LAHORE, April 9: Convinced that the return home of Asif Ali Zardari on April 16 would be harbinger of a democratic era, PPP leaders from all four provinces and the Azad Kashmir resolved on Saturday to accord a grand welcome to Mr Zardari.
At a meeting held at the party’s provincial secretariat, they reviewed the situation, criticized the government for its alleged failure to deliver on all fronts, and promised that Zardari was bringing with him a ray of hope for all those groaning because of their unsolved problems.
They also believed that way would soon be paved for the return of Ms Bhutto, who has been staying out of the country since April 1999.
The PPP leaders said the welcome to be accorded to Mr Zardari would be like the one when a sea of people had come out on the streets to receive Ms Benazir Bhutto on her return from London on April 10, 1986.
The party leaders reviewed its strength in their respective provinces and the number of people they would be able to bring with them to Lahore.
Qasim Zia, Qaim Ali Shah, Rahimdad Khan, Lashkari Raeesani and Sahibzada Ishaq Zafar told reporters that the rulers had failed to control the situation, and the PPP alone was in a position to bring relief to the masses.
They said the Kashmir issue would not find a solution unless a democratic government was in place in Pakistan. And, they said, fresh elections were the best way to bring an elected government to power.
“If the rulers can hold talks with India, there is no reason why they should not sit with the opposition parties and discuss problems facing the country,” they said.
Asked whether the April 16 reception should be taken as the beginning of an anti-Musharraf campaign, Qasim Zia said the movement had been going on for quite some time.
He said Gen Musharraf was not a constitutionally-elected president and the PPP did not recognize an unconstitutional ruler.
“We are for the supremacy of the constitution,” he said in the presence of other party leaders.
Answering a question, he said the PPP would hold a rally on April 16, as already decided, and would use the route the government had already been informed about.
He said the government had not conveyed any information to the contrary so far, which clearly meant that it had no objection to the PPP’s programme.
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