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KARACHI, Sept 23: The Pakistan People’s Party supporters, workers and leaders vowed on Sunday to accord a befitting welcome to their party chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Oct 18 and warned the government to desist from putting any obstacle or get ready to face public wrath.
They criticized the government for arresting the All-Parties Democratic Movement members who were planning to demonstrate against the presidential elections.
PPP Deputy Secretary General and the leader of the opposition in the Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, accused the government of taking away the right of protest from people by putting a curb on demonstrations. He said there was no legitimacy for General Musharraf to seek re-election. He declared that Ms Bhutto was not returning under any deal with the military ruler but on public insistence.
Donkey-carts in rally
Earlier, PPP supporters on donkey- and camel-carts, rickshaws and pushcarts in a rally reached the Kharadar’s Khoja Jamatkhana area from different parts of the city, particularly Ghasmandi area of Ranchore Lane. About 500 rickshaws
led by Rashid Hussain Rabbani, Bilal Sheikh and Sherbaz
Khan from Patel Para joined the rally.
Organized by the Benazir Bhutto Welcome Committee, the rally on its culmination at Kharadar turned into a public meeting which was addressed by party leaders.
Sindh PPP General Secretary Nafees Siddiqui said Karachi would witness a revolution in making when the masses would accord a reception to Ms Bhutto on Oct 18 even larger than the one held in Lahore in 1986.
Mr Siddiqui warned of stiff public resistance if the regime tried to impose emergency. He said despite a heat-wave in the city thousands of the toiling labourers have joined this rally thus proving that the masses support was with the PPP and its leadership.
He also condemned the prime minister’s remarks about extending the tenure of assemblies by another year if the situation permitted.
Karachi PPP President Rashid Rabbani said that they were proud of Ms Bhutto’s choice of Karachi for returning after nine years of exile.
Senior leader Taj Haider said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had laid the foundation of his party on the toiling workers in 1967 and recalled his reply to Gen Moosa when he made fun of the poor people bringing revolution. Mr Haider quoted Zulfikar Bhutto telling Gen Moosa:
“Yes, it will be the toiling workers and peasants who will create history in bringing revolution.”
Jameel Soomro said that roads and streets of the entire province would wear a festive look on the day of her return.
MPA Rafiq Engineer said people of Lyari had once again proved that no one could stop them from breaking all records by according Ms Bhutto the largest reception ever given in the country.
The PPP leaders, meanwhile, also laid a floral wrath at the mausoleum of Doolhey Shah Sabzwari and offered prayers for her life.
Organisers Akram Baloch, Bilal Shaikh, Shahnawaz Shani and Abdul Razak later thanked the rally participants.
