By Waqar Naseem Wamiq
RIYADH – Benazir Bhutto was a chain that roped together all four provinces of Pakistan. She sacrificed her life for the people of Pakistan while fighting against dictatorship and extremism. Though she did not live to see the complete defeat of extremism, she ensured the victory of the people of Pakistan and its forces by laying her life in this battle. She continues to live in the hearts of the people of Pakistan.
These were views expressed by speakers at a program organized by Pakistan People’s Party’s Riyadh Region chapter on the death anniversary of the country’s former prime minister.
The program was presided over by the chief organizer of PPP Riyadh Region Advocate Qazi Ishaq Memon and conducted by general secretary Mohammad Khalid Rana. Deputy general secretary Wasim Sajid, CEC member Imam Bakhsh and PYO leader Shareef Baloch were guests of honor.
The program started with the recitation of Holy Qur’an by Qari Abdul Aziz Hazarwi. A Naat e Rasool was presented by Bashir Attari.
Malik Kareem Khan pledged in his speech that PPP workers are ready to sacrifice their lives fighting against terrorism and poverty following in the footsteps of their beloved leader.
Ehsan Abbasi said Benazir was killed by forces of reactionaries and extremists motivated by foreign agenda.
Rafiq Chowdhury and Humayun Mehsud said Benazir was a symbol of federal unity and a global statesman. They said Zionist and crusader lobbies conspired to destabilize Pakistan by killing a popular leader, who stood firm in a hostile environment till hidden hands took her life.
Rashid Butt, Khalid Akram Rana and Zahid Sindhu stressed the need to unmask the killers of Benazir, who was a leader of Pakistan and not just the People’s Party,
“We demand that the conspirators and killers should be brought to justice. The Charter of Democracy (COD) was the brain child of Benazir and her unique vision helped bring the country back on the democratic track,” they said in a joint statement.
Faris Qureshi termed Benazir as a true leader of the poor. “A leader of the helpless was snatched away from them by the forces of darkness,” he said.
Zahoor Khan said extremism killed Benazir and it has not been completely eradicated from the country. “Sparks of extremism are still seen in the stacks of hay and these can burn society again. We must recognize them and smother them in order to avoid the destruction of the nation at large,” he said, while praising the bravery of Benazir in challenging the miscreants.
“A great statesman was taken away from us,” Dr. Riaz Chaudhry said. “It is the bad luck of Pakistan that whenever stability and peace is achieved, a bigger tragedy is made to happen by hidden hands, which then shatters political stability,” he said.
Chaudhry Khalid believed that Bhutto family’s sacrifices prevented dictatorship holding its feet in Pakistan. Restoration of democracy is the fruit of the Bhuttos’ struggle for freedom.
Rana Rauf demanded uncovering of the conspiracy behind Benazir’s murder and arrests of those worked behind the scene.
Tahir Raza praised Benazir’s efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the poor, especially the Benazir Income Support Program, which he termed as a great positive step toward eradicating poverty.
Sadaqat Hussain thought her political moves including the declaration of Gilgit Baltistan as separate province as revolutionary.
Syed Fayyaz Gilani was of the view that the Western powers were behind all conspiracies and the murder plot.
Rafiq Gohar hoped that PPP would follow the ideological path cut by Benazir Bhutto.
Tasaduq Gilani described Benazir’s murder as a great tragedy and expressed his solidarity with PPP workers.
Engineer Mehboob and Qari Aziz praised Benazir’s commitment to the Ummah and Islam. Deputy secretary general Waseem Sajid said the party workers will continue to serve the people following in the footsteps of their leader and will fulfill her dream of turning Pakistan into a welfare state.
Benazir had influenced people’s lives in all spheres, general secretary Mohammad Khalid Rana said. “She facilitated peasants and farmers by giving them the right price for their crops and subsidies on fertilizers. Her dedication toward making Pakistan a developed country mobilized all stakeholders and growers, taking agricultural production to record levels. She led the fight against extremism and terrorism. Though this war was not won in her lifetime, she had laid a solid foundation to the fight against terrorism by sacrificing her life,” Rana said.
Younis Abu Ghalib said Pakistan›s establishment did not let any democratic government function properly; rather they pushed the country into anarchy by patronizing apolitical actors. People must recognize their enemies and follow the ideology advocated by Bhutto.
Sharif Baloch paid rich tributes to Benazir and warned that her killers were the ones who facilitated extremists physically and politically.
Imam Bakhsh exposed the nexus of establishment and extremists and emphasized the need to adopt the comprehensive vision of Benazir for the nation to achieve progress. “If anyone needs to find the facilitators of terrorists, just go through the statements made during the last election campaign,” he said.
Sardar Mohammad Razak paid tribute to Benazir for her services to COD, the missile program and the income support program.
Advocate Qazi Ishaq Memon, in his presidential address, shed light on Benazir’s services in the fields of politics, culture, diplomacy, industry, economics, women empowerment and education. If Benazir were alive today, Pakistan would have in a better shape, he said, adding that her assassins snatched the dreams of the poor.
The program concluded with supplications by Mehmood Bajwa.
