Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday took a dig at former Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan for terming a “U-turn is a leader’s trait”, adding Jiyalas to teach the people that taking a U-turn is a coward’s trait.
He said PPP is still steadfast on the same principles, ideology and narrative. “Islam is our religion, socialism is our economy and people are the source of power’”Bilawal told a workers’ convention here.
Senator Nayyar Bukhari, Senator Sherry Rahman, PPP provincial president Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha,PPP provincial secretary information Amjad Afridi, provincial senior vice-president Syed Ayub Shah, Peshawar division president Misbahuddin, Malik Saeed Khan, Malik Temash Khan and other party leaders were present. A large number of party workers attended the convention.
Bilawal said that he prefers conventions in all major cities because they give his party workers and supporters an opportunity to express themselves.
The Foundation Day of the Pakistan People’s Party will be held in Quetta, Balochistan, Chairman Bilawal announced.
PPP Chairman said workers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are loyal, honourable and committed to the party manifesto and they have kept the manifesto and ideology of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
“They still raise the slogan of ‘Bhuttoism’. We have to take this slogan to the youngsters of the country and make them understand its gist. Bhuttoism is a symbol of serving the people, denouncing the elitist mindset and striving for the rights of the people as per our principles and narrative,” he said and added that Bhuttoism is another name for not compromising in the face of adversity, and preferring punishment over.
Bilawal said an unarmed woman, former premier Benazir Bhutto, faced two dictators and accepted martyrdom but did not back down.
Bilawal termed the ongoing unprecedented inflation, unemployment and poverty its party’s major opponents and urged the party workers to support PPP to eradicate poverty, unemployment, inflation and all other issues faced by the people.
“The real face of the other political parties has now been exposed before the people. Those who spoke of ‘change’, brought ‘destruction’ instead and those who proclaimed themselves as the flag bearers of governance and ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’, have become the Pakistan ‘Mehengai’ League,” he added.
He said he was proud of his performance in the sixteen months of the previous government. “I am willing to contest elections on the basis of it, those who sat with me in the same cabinet should be asked whether they are ready to contest the elections on their own performance”, Chairman PPP said.
During those sixteen months, an unprecedented series of catastrophic floods wreaked havoc on the country. Not only was the United Nations mobilised for this, but the women who had been promised houses were also given ownership, Chairman Bilawal said.
As the youngest Foreign Minister of Pakistan, he worked day and night to represent the people.
It is the PPP that has brought forth the revolutionary Benazir Income Support Programme, empowering the poorest of the country’s women. Not only do we plan on expanding the BISP, but bringing similar programs so that the benefits given to the poor are maximised. We are planning on bringing forward a ‘Kissan Card’ so that the farmer can directly benefit from the amount that is provided as subsidies by the government.
