The 98th birth anniversary of former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was commemorated at the People’s Secretariat Monday, with senior party leaders and a large number of workers attending the ceremony.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, PPP leaders Saeed Ghani, Waqar Mehdi, Lala Rehman Iqbal and others participated in the event.
Addressing the gathering, Murad Ali Shah thanked PPP District East for inviting him and extended birthday greetings on the anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s birth in Larkana 98 years ago.
The chief minister said Bhutto achieved historic milestones in a short political life, including giving the country its unanimous constitution, securing the release of 90,000 prisoners of war from India, and strengthening Pakistan’s standing in the international arena. He recalled that Bhutto, even during his student days, had written to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah expressing his willingness to sacrifice his life and family for the country.
Murad Ali Shah said Bhutto empowered the people by declaring them the true source of power, adding that democratic values and the right to vote stem from Bhutto’s political philosophy. He alleged that a movement launched against Bhutto in 1977 was backed by forces opposed to Islamic unity, despite Bhutto’s role in convening an Islamic summit. He said Bhutto was executed by a military dictator but continues to live on through his ideas and political legacy.
He said Bhutto’s mission was carried forward by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and will continue under the leadership of Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. “As long as humanity exists, Bhutto will live,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Waqar Mehdi said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a great leader who proved his leadership on the world stage, raised his voice against dictatorship, and became the country’s first elected prime minister. He said Bhutto gave Pakistan its first unanimous constitution and played a key role in the development of Karachi, adding that the PPP considers Karachi its own city and is carrying out development projects worth billions of rupees.
Saeed Ghani said Pakistan’s political history is incomplete without the Pakistan Peoples Party. He said Bhutto formed a mass political party at the age of 39 without the backing of any establishment and was martyred at 51. He added that despite repeated efforts to eliminate the PPP, the party continues to stand strong, and the country is still benefiting from Bhutto’s achievements.
Ghani said Bhutto’s greatest contribution was creating political awareness among the masses, which changed the traditional power dynamics in the country. He added that the party, now led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, continues to follow Bhutto’s ideology.
Party leaders also noted that the centenary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s birth will be marked two years from now.
