On Benazir's 15th death anniversary, Bilawal vows to take mother's mission forward

Published December 27, 2022
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other party leaders attend the PPP power show in Garhi Khuda Bux on Tuesday. — DawnNewsTV
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other party leaders attend the PPP power show in Garhi Khuda Bux on Tuesday. — DawnNewsTV

PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari vowed on Tuesday to take slain former prime minister and his mother Benazir Bhutto's mission forward and achieve it within the next 15 years.

"This journey will be completed by us together," he said in an address at the party's power show in Garhi Khuda Bux to mark the 15th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto.

Earlier in the day, a large number of party workers arrived in the city from Larkana to attend the event. Party workers in Karachi left from Sohrab Goth where a camp was set up to see them off.

At the outset of his speech today, Bilawal said that miscreants behind Benazir's assassination thought they would halt her party's journey forward. "I want to tell them to come and see how many people gathered here in Garhi Khuda Bux. Even after all these years, bibi's jiyalas [supporters] are still present here.

"These people have shown their loyalty towards her and have proven that they have not forgotten Benazir or her political ideas. We believe it when we say 'aj bhi Bhutto zinda hay' [Bhutto is alive even today]," he asserted.

Bilawal said that his mother was a patriotic Pakistan, and her name was marked in not only the country's history but across the world.

"She was the voice of the poor, an ambassador for the destitute, a true supporter of democracy, and a strong reply to terrorists. She believed in the politics of hope [...] of truth [...] and of unity."

Today, the PPP chairman stressed, "it is our responsibility to follow bibi's vision" and achieve the mission she had set out on.

"President Zardari and I tried to take her mission forward and whatever work is left we will be completed in the next 15 years," he promised.

'Return to NA or we won't be able to stop those wanting to victimise PTI'

Bilawal also criticised PTI chairman Imran Khan for trying to "make the army controversial again".

"We sent Imran home through the Constitution [...] and this was the first time the parliament ousted a prime minister. The 'conspiracy against the selected' was not hatched behind closed doors, rather it happened on the streets and in the parliament in plain sight.

“Now it is time to say to goodbye to the handlers of the selected,” Bilawal said.

He went on to say that the army had made its position on staying out of politics clear and it was now time to ensure that they fulfilled their promise.

"This is the reason we are hearing screams from Bani Gala. Imran is once again trying to pressurise the establishment to meddle in politics. But let me tell you, this is your last warning: come back to the parliament.

"You are a stranger to the House. Come back and play your role in the parliament. Come talk about reforms, whether it is the National Accountability Bureau or elections," he pressed, adding that otherwise, the government would not be able to stop those who wanted to "victimise you".

'Have to quit appeasement policy for terrorists'

Talking about the rising terror incidents in the country, the foreign minister slammed Imran for "bending his knees in front of the terrorists" without asking the public or the parliament.

"I will speak to the government and review the appeasement policy for terrorism. We will have to quit that policy and establish the writ of the state," he maintained.

Bilawal also said that only the PPP had the ability to steer the country out of the prevailing crisis. "Only the PPP had dealt with the terrorists effectively in the past and will do so now," he added.

'Become humans before politicians'

During his address, the foreign minister called on his rivals to "become humans before politicians".

"In any other country, politics and rallies would have come to a halt after the havoc wreaked by the floods. But even in the midst of a catastrophe, the fight for Punjab kept taking place, and [Imran's] long march did not stop.

"On one end there is Imran and his ego and on the other end, we have flood affectees. It will take time to fix all this," he said.

Bilawal pointed out that Pakistan was still trying hard to collect money from the world for flood-hit people and estimated that the country needs at least a year more to collect $15 billion.

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