PPP striving for Pakistan envisioned by ZAB: Zardari

Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman and Presidential candidate Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that he wanted to take along all the political forces to bring about change in the lives of masses by doing away with the prevailing system.

“The PPP is doing politics to save the country” he said while addressing a reception here at Prime Minister House, urging the friends to broaden their thinking and support the PPP that he said was striving for a Pakistan as envisioned by former Prime Minister Zulifqar Ali Bhutto. “We will change the system to strengthen democracy and national institutions to bring about positive change in the lives of the poor,” he added.

Zardari said that both the PPP and Awami National Party (ANP) have the opportunity to fulfil the longstanding demand of NWFP people by changing name of its Province from NWFP to Pakhtoonkhwa. Terrorism and extremism were the biggest challenge to the country, he said adding the government has the will and power to eliminate this menace. The decision on Kalabagh dam project, he added, has been taken according to the wishes of the general public.

Zardari called upon the friends that they must broaden their thinking like the ANP, JUI, MQM and friends from Balochistan who have supported the PPP. The resignation by President Musharraf, after resolutions by the four provincial assemblies, shows the strength of democracy and democratic institutions, he added.

“The nation and elected representatives have great responsibility to ensure that democracy takes root in the country”. Zardri said that the PPP workers have given sacrifices for the sake of democracy which must be allowed to prosper.

He said Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto were the two great leaders of Pakistan who did not even care for their own lives to save democracy and democratic institutions.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that parliamentarians have extended their full support to PPP’s presidential candidate Asif Ali Zardari. The Senators, MNAs and MPAs from NWFP assured their full support to Asif Ali Zardari for strengthening of democracy, bringing political harmony and further strengthening the federation, he added.

The Prime Minister who assured the parliamentarians from NWFP that all the promises made to them would be fulfilled said the PPP believes in the 1973 Constitution and would protect the rights of federating units.

The Prime Minister said that constitution would be amended in the greater national interest. He reiterated the government’s resolve to fight the menace of terrorism, saying that tourism will be revived in areas of the province which was affected by recent spate of terrorism and extremism.