PPP Hyderabad rally: Bilawal calls for ‘justice’ and ‘equality’

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a political rally in Hyderabad on Friday.

During his speech, the PPP chairman thanked his party workers, members and the residents of Hyderabad for their ‘support’.

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Bilawal stated that the date (October 18) was especially important, as his mother, the late Benazir Bhutto, returned to Pakistan after years in exile.

Calling her return as a “quest to restore democratic governance” in the then military ruled Pakistan, Bilawal claimed that she came back with a ‘definitive’ manifesto, mission and an ideology aimed solely at improving the lives of common Pakistanis.

He stated that his mother’s vision was centred on ensuring the every Pakistani citizen has access to basic necessities, including food, clothing and shelter (roti, kapra aur makaan).

The PPR chairman said that his mother’s return was not merely a personal journey but a commitment to ‘dismantling’ authoritarian rule.

The 36-year-old claimed that Benazir hoped to establish a government that genuinely represented the public’s interests.

The PPP’s political rally also provided a platform for Bilawal to discuss the constitutional amendments his party along with the PML-N led government has been pushing to pass in the parliament, despite huge opposition from several different quarters.

He stated that Benazir Bhutto’s manifesto included the establishment of a federal court that could guarantee representation from all provinces.

He noted that the creation of a constitutional court was a ‘promise’ made by his mother and which he is ‘determined’ to fulfill.

Bilawal Zardari also paid homage to the party workers who lost their lives on October 18. He claimed the victims ‘made’ the ultimate sacrifice to protect his mother .

The tricenarian conceded the difficulties encountered in ‘fulfilling’ the promise of a constitutional court  between 2008 and 2013. He expressed a sense of urgency while promising to fulfill the objective.

Bilawal went on to state that although he is neither the prime minister nor a member of a federal cabinet, he remained committed to ‘honouring’ the promises made by his mother.

He attempted to assuage any scepticism regarding the feasibility of the proposed constitutional court system in the country. The PPP chief promised that he would make it a reality.

Bilawal also talked about a vision based on ‘equality’ and fairness in the country where indentured servitude still exists, particularly in Sindh.

The PPP chairman rejected the concept of a singular unitary system, instead, demanding ‘equality’ based on the vision of the country’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Bilawal called for a system that ensured equitable access to justice, citing historical context of judicial appointments and the necessity for human integrity within the judiciary.

The former foreign minister called for the establishment of a ‘court of equality’. He urged the political establishment to heed the demands of the public; even promising to compromise and cooperate with other political factions to create a constitutional framework that reflected the will of the public.

The PPP chairman talked about the current political landscape being messy and muddled.

Bilawal Zardari warned that if the opposition did not support the proposed constitutional amendments, he would pursue a more ‘controversial’ path.

While extolling the virtues of  consensus in constitutional matters, the PPP leader concluded his speech with once again declaring his determination to ‘reinstate’ the constitutional bench, and ensuring provincial representation.

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He created a huge sense of urgency during his speech, stating that the time for compromise had passed and that his party is prepared to present its draft to the parliament.