LAHORE - The old PPP guards who gathered here on Sunday in connection with 7th death anniversary of Sheikh Muhammad Rashid, known as Father of Socialism, urged top party leadership to revert to the basics of the party for which it was founded over 40 years ago. They also criticised intelligence agencies role in politics and a few even went to the extent of saying that PPP also had some persons in its fold backed by the secret service. Sajjad Bukhari, Altaf Qureshi, Ziaullah Bangash, Aslam Gurdaspuri, Qayyum Nizami, Sheikh Ashfaq Ahmad, Labour party leader Farooq Tariq and others addressed the seminar organised to mark the event. Senior party leaders including Senator Raza Rabbani, Afzal Sindhu and Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan were also scheduled to participate but neither of them turned up to the occasion. The speakers remembered Sheikh Rashid as Father of Socialism in Pakistan, especially for his idea of land reforms and introduction of generic names of medicines, which helped reduce drug prices in the country. He was also applauded for promoting middle class in the party and his principled approach on issues. In their speeches, PPP diehards converged on the point that if PPP did not revert to its original agenda set by party founder, Z A Bhutto, the country could not make progress in any filed. They also demanded nationalisation of sugar mills to overcome sugar crisis. Speaking on the occasion, Sajjad Bukhahri lauded late Rashid as a person who never compromised on principles throughout his life. Recalling 1970 general elections, Bukhari lauded Sheikh Rashid for recommending 60 per cent people from middle class for award of party tickets at that time. He said party owed much to Sheikh Rashid and even today it was standing on sound footings because of his contribution. Altaf Qureshi said it was time that party reverted to its basics to steer the country out of present crises. He urged party Co-Chairman, Asif Ali Zardari to implement party agenda set by Z A Bhutto to materialise the objective of providing basic necessities of life to the people. He advocated nationalisation of sugar mills to overcome sugar crisis, saying that even country like USA had to nationalise around 80 banks in the recent past to save them from bankruptcy. Qureshi condemned statements by PM Gilani and Education Minister that nationalisation of educational institutions by Z A Bhutto in the seventies was a mistake. He was of the view that education had become too costly that it had become hard even for the middle class to send their children to schools. Ziaullah Bangash came down hard on his own party, saying, it has been held hostage by sycophants. He said late Sheikh Rashids hatred for sycophancy was well known. He said PPP had come to a standstill due to presence of agencies men in its fold. He believed that PPP was no longer a party of Z A Bhutto or that of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. He also criticised party leadership for not holding intra-party elections. Qyyum Nizami presented a resolution on the occasion urging electorate not to vote for any landlord or industrialist in the next election irrespective of which party they belonged to Wajid Ali Shah came up with a resolution asking PML-N leadership to observe July 5 1977 as black day, otherwise, PPP would not join Nawaz party in its observance of October 12, 1999 as black day. Aslam Gurdaspuri in his address advised Asif Zardari to hold media briefing prior to and after every foreign tour about its significance and achievements. He said this was necessary to avoid undue criticism from certain quarters about his foreign trips.