Karachi (Web Desk): The 56th Foundation Day of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is being observed across the country today (Thursday).
According to party sources the main function to mark the day will be held in Quetta for the first time, where PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other party leadership will address a grand rally.
In his message on the occasion, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party is determined to complete the unfinished mission of the party's founding chairman Quaid-i-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) and Chairperson Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
He said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had founded the party on political wisdom and a far-reaching vision, following which we have to build a prosperous and strong Pakistan, in which the rights and interests of all countrymen are taken care of equally.
Paying glowing tribute to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for her unparalleled struggle and sacrifice, Bilawal said that Shaheed Bibi resisted dictatorship, centralism and extremism throughout her life and protected the fundamental rights of the people and fought for their prosperity.
“Bhuttoism as well as the philosophy and vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto are beacons of light in our struggle,” he added.
Bilawal Bhutto said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Eighteenth Amendment, NFC Award, transfer of unfettered presidential powers to the Parliament, Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and “Pakistan Khappy” are reflection of President Asif Ali Zardari’s vision, adding: “We will carry forward President Zardari’s brilliant and timeless vision to develop and strengthen Pakistan.”
The PPP chairman paid glowing tribute to the party workers, who endured the hardships of imprisonment and exile, faced flogging, and bravely kissed the gallows for the sake of democracy in the country. He also reiterated that the party will not let the sacrifices of its great cadres go in vain.
The PPP chairman once again expressed solidarity with the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and strongly supported their right to self-determination.
“We will never forget that PPP was founded on the Kashmir issue,” he said, adding that his party would continue to support Kashmiri brothers politically, diplomatically and morally till independence from Indian occupation of the occupied valley.
The PPP chief urged that the Foundation Day is a day of renewal for every party office-bearer and worker.
"Today every party worker must pledge to strengthen PPP," he said.
He asked the party workers to brace themselves, as February 8 could be a milestone for decisively defeating the age-old traditional politics as well as the politics of hatred, division and exploitation, adding that the victory of PPP in the upcoming general elections is the guarantee of freedom of 220 million people from the chains of record inflation, unemployment and poverty.
"Our morale is high, because farmers, labourers, salaried class, small traders and enlightened people across the country are with us. Our victory is certain since the youth of Pakistan are now standing firmly on the field with the PPP," he concluded.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto founded the PPP on November 30, 1967.
Seeing the manifesto of the Quaid-e-Awam (Leader of the Masses) Z A Bhutto, people belonging to different classes continued to join the party, including landlords, capitalists and chiefs, but the reality is that the PPP emerged primarily as a party of the exploited poor, labourers, farmers and students.
The downtrodden class, which suffered from crushing deprivations, got consciousness and language to speak for themselves. Those with bare feet and torn clothes got the courage and strength so much so that for the first time in the political history of Pakistan, there were slogans of “Death to Capitalism” in the rallies.