It is believed that the Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “The nature abhors a vacuum” since it invites forces to fill the emptiness created by something or somebody. 50 years back the same was the case with our motherland when the people of Pakistan were wandering in quest of genuine leadership after the sad and untimely demise of our founding father the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Here comes the day when Pakistan Peoples Party was founded under the dynamic leadership of Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto who gave hope to the people of Pakistan already pressed under the years long rule of a dictator.
Commemoration of Foundation Day is about uniting the people of Pakistan in general and the workers of PPP in particular having a sense of belonging to the legacy Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto bequeathed to the nation. As a matter of fact, the golden jubilee celebrations reflect the Pakistani people’s journey from hope to belief which the nation saw in the PPP due to sacrifices made by the leaders and the workers time and again. With sacrifices they sowed the seeds of tolerance and other democratic virtues in national politics.
You know tolerance breeds tolerance while intolerance begets violence. The national politics of present day Pakistan is a true example of the same. It is PPP that kept its cool throughout its history despite the worst kind of oppression inflicted by the rivals. The slogan of Pakistan Khappey, by president Asif Ali Zardari ,was raised at a time when the whole country was presenting the scene of lawlessness after the martyrdom of Mohatarma Benazir Bhutto. The whole country echoed with Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s saying “Democracy is the best revenge.” In fact he followed the tradition set by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who herself was not inclined to avenge her father Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto’s assassination from the remnants of Zia’s legacy in the politics.
The day gives us a reminder to engage with our workers while sticking to our values. This day has a chance to reflect not only upon the beginnings of the party and its founders, but also on the significant developments since the party’s inception. We are obliged to credit our Founding Fathers as the PPP mirror the commitment, resilience and dedication they displayed throughout their lives. Now the party flag is in Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s hands and he is committed to realise the dreams of the martyrs. It is astounding that 50 years ago, the leaders of PPP had such a commitment towards their goal on which Pakistan Peoples Party was founded on November 30, 1967 and which was reflected in the general election 1970 in the form of party principles:
Islam is our Faith,
Democracy is our Polity,
Socialism is our Economy &
All Powers to the People.
History witnesses that for the first time in Pakistan, a political party was founded in the light of the people’s aspirations. Pakistan in sixties represented a country with no constitution, being run on adhocism while in the clutches of dictatorship. At that time, the religion was used to divide the nation. The ruling elite considered the majority as their subjects and the people were granted no right to take decisions for the betterment of their own lives. 22 business families had made the whole economy hostage to their greed. The PPP got the millions of families united under their flag and the party manifesto became the key to the people’s struggle against the tyrannical rule. In 1973, the PPP government gave first constitution to the nation. By applying the universal teachings of Islam, the PPP government discouraged all kinds of prides and prejudices across the board. The Muslim Ummah seemed united for the first time in history. The politics of democracy was fashioned and the people were elevated from the status of subjects in the country. The system of social equality granted the equal rights to the oppressed, and their rights were enshrined in the constitution. Owing to these policies, the middle class flourished in the country. The people came into power and started ruling the government. The people were considered the source of political power. This true change and social as well as political revolution was not acceptable to the powers of status quo in the country. They deprived the nation of the Quaid-e-Awam.
The people without their leadership became directionless in the wilderness for some time. The sincerity as well as sacrifice of the followers to the cause transformed the struggle into an ideology and philosophy. The physical absence of Bhutto granted spiritual strength to the followers. Here, the daughter of the east Benazir Bhutto provided the peerless leadership. The relation between the people and the peoples party could not be broken with the naked use of power. The Sun of democracy rose on the horizon of national politics after 11 years long darkness. The people’s right to rule themselves was given partially to the people. The impostors under the garb of politicians endeavoured to fashion ‘Jaag Punjabi Jaag’ in the stronghold of PPP. The Zia remnants found a platform to create hurdles in the way with the help of agencies. They failed time and again to break the link between the people and the Peoples Party. At this the extremism was provided patronage and the extremists reorganised themselves in the guise of terrorists. Dismayed by the terrorism in Pakistan and the rest of the world, the superpowers saw a ray of hope and peace in Benazir Bhutto’s leadership alone in Pakistan. But the nation lost its leader Benazir Bhutto. The party suffered the crisis of leadership and wandered like that of a rudderless boat. However, the party reorganised itself under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and the party started its journey once again. Much had been done and much was to be done due to the reasons more than one.
Today, PPP is not considered so strong as it was in the past. However, there exists no party enjoying the people’s support in the domain of politics with the exception of PPP. Interestingly, even the worst critics of Zulifqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto are yet vocal about their political virtues and consider them great leaders of Pakistan. The ‘champions’ of democracy are dying for the support of PPP. They want to continue their existence in national politics by claiming themselves as an extension of democratic legacy of Bhuttos. Wasif Ali Wasif says, “You should not expect the destiny of Moses, if you have led your life as Pharaoh.
Today, the Pakistan People’s Party, under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the political heir of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, is the foremost upholder of the rights of the people, democracy, and progress.