Rally preparations in Mirpur Khas 

MIRPUR KHAS: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will celebrate the 90th birthday of party founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto with a rally in Mirpur Khas on Friday (today).

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari will address the rally to mark the occasion, preparations for which are under way in the city. The stage has been set and seating arrangements have been completed for the rally. Walk-through gates have been set up at entrances to the venue.

One of the country?s most charismatic and popular leaders, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was born on January 5, 1928 in Ratodero Taluka, Larkana. He served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that as the fourth President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto/File photo

Bhutto founded the PPP on November 30, 1967. The party, through a mass mandate, managed to form the federal government thrice in its 50-year political journey. The PPP is known for braving the harsh dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq, who not only dismissed the Bhutto-led government but was also perceived to be involved in the controversial decision against Bhutto, leading to his hanging on April 4, 1979.

After Bhutto?s demise, the party was led by his wife late Nusrat Bhutto. Later, his daughter late Benazir Bhutto took the party?s helm of affairs till her tragic assassination at Rawalpindi?s Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27, 2007.

The party is now led by Benazir's son, Bilawal.

PPP to continue Bhutto's mission: Bilawal

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his message on Bhutto's birth anniversary, said that Pakistanis were deeply missing their beloved leader Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as the current internal and external situation required the political sagacity and statesmanship of his calibre to handle the state of affairs.

"Those who snatched Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from us actually tried to eliminate the dream of our founding fathers about Pakistan. But wisdom, tolerance, patience and bravery of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto foiled the evil designs of the perpetrators of both murders," the PPP chairman said in a statement issued on the eve of 90th birthday of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Bilawal said that Bhutto picked up the broken pieces and rebuilt the country after getting 93,000 prisoners of war and 5,000 square miles of our land freed from enemy captivity and occupation through his excellent diplomatic skills.

The PPP chairman said that people of Pakistan would always remember him in golden words as their hero, while his opponents were also accepting his courage, statesmanship, foresightedness and love for his country and nation.

"Tormenters of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto vanished into midair in a natural justice system but he remains in the hearts and minds of millions of people even today," he remarked.

Bilawal pledged that his party would continue to pursue the mission and vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to make Pakistan an egalitarian, peaceful, progressive and a democratic role-model Muslim country in the world.