April 5, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1427

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LARKANA, April 4: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called for dialogue and political means to resolve the Balochistan issue. In a video-taped statement at a gathering held in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto to mark the 27th death anniversary of Z.A. Bhutto on Monday night, she said: “Other doors open when political window closes. Therefore, it is better to address the issue through dialogues.”

She said the action in Balochistan was harming the country, adding that the PPP had Baloch leaders to take part in the polls.

Ms Bhutto said that in order to steer the country out of the present precarious situation it was necessary that fair and free elections were held under an independent election commission and power was transferred to elected representatives.

She said problems could be solved by political means only by political parties as the late Bhutto had done and restored the country’s tarnished image. With his vision and statesmanship he rebuilt Pakistan and proved that all fears about Balochistan’s separation and Sindhudesh were wrong.

“We are not greedy for power. We are talking about unemployment, dearness and other problems of people,” she said.

She criticised the government’s performance in the aftermath of last year’s devastating earthquake and said the issue of Kalabagh dam was raised to cover up the government’s failure to handle the situation.

She said when people reacted against the publication of blasphemous cartoons in some European newspapers, the government miserably failed to tell the world that the popular wrath was against insult to any religion.

Ms Bhutto announced that she would return to Pakistan.

Central PPP leaders Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Aitzaz Ahsan, AJK PP president Ishaque Zafar, Leader of Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro, Sindh PPP president Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Punjab PPP president Qasim Zia, Shagufta Jumani and Dr Fahmida Mirza also spoke on the occasion.

In their speeches, they called upon the people to prepare for the forthcoming elections.

A resolution adopted at the meeting renewed confidence in the leadership of Ms Bhutto and pledged to carry forward the mission of Shaheed Bhutto.

Other resolutions criticised the Sindh government’s act of demolishing ancient Sindhi settlements, called for withdrawal of cases against Ms Bhutto and Asif Zardari and release of all political prisoners.

The meeting continued till Tuesday morning when people who had arrived from various parts of the country started leaving for home.