DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF SHAHEED ZULFIKAR ALI BHUTTO
Address Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Prime Minister Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Garhi Khuda Buksh 4 April, 1994
Ladies and gentlemen;
Dear broth, rs and sisters;
Assalam-o-Alaikum !
We have gathered here on the grave of our great leader Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to pay our sincerest respects to him. Today once again we salute his martyrdom and unparalleled sacrifice. Today once again we renew our commitment to follow his teachings and ideals.
4th of April is an extremely important day in our national political history. It is the day when tyranny suffered ignominious defeat. It is the day when truth succeeded and prevailed.
My dear brothers and sisters,
History of mankind is the most important court of justice. The verdict given by this court can never be belied. It can never be changed or challenged. On 4th April 1979, history gave its verdict in favor of Quaid-i-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declaring him as oppressed leader of the oppressed people, a truthful leader and a national hero who even today lives in our hearts, will continue to live in our hearts and live for centuries to come.
Dear brothers and sisters,
If in the history of mankind power and authority had been the decisive factor in controlling the destiny of nations, then today some Pharaoh would have been ruling the universe, Namrud and Shad dad would have been symbols of man's greatness and Yazeed would have been hero of Islamic history.
Brothers and sisters,
History of mankind has irrefutably confirmed the fact that Pharaoh, Namrud and Shad dad, despite their might and power have been declared criminals of humanity. In the history of Islam the name of Yazeed is synonymous with curse and abuse. And every Yazeed will have to face the same decree. Every usurper will have to accept the same fate.
The tragedy of Karbala is a lesson as well as a source of inspiration for human beings. In the light of happenings at Karbala it is confirmed that if one is on the right and determined to defend the truth, then tyranny with all its might and power will not be able to stand against him. Truthful and righteous persons are never cowed down or daunted by force.
Brothers and sisters,
It is indeed a golden law of nature that tyranny despite its apparent success is in fact defeated and the truth though outwardly defeated is in reality successful.
Dear brothers and sisters,
If despotism were to be the criteria for man's greatness, then those rulers of old Rome who crucified Jesus Christ could claim to be saviors of Christian world, but this did not happen. History has declared Jesus Christ as savior of humanity.
Brothers and sisters,
If barbarism were to determine the destiny of humanity, then the rulers of Athens who killed Aristotle would have been considered as masters of knowledge and wisdom. If power and authority were to be the basis for justice, then today in Pakistan, brutality would have been stronger than Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, people of Pakistan would not have called him Shaheed Baba, such a huge crowd would not have gathered in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh at the grave of their beloved martyred leader and the entire country would not have echoed with the slogan of Jiye Bhutto, Jiye Bhutto.
Dear friends,
No one is great because of wealth and authority. Greatness is bestowed by the will of Allah. And one who submits to the will of Allah reaches the heights of greatness.
Dear friends,
Bhutto was martyred fifteen years ago, but his name is still alive in the hearts of the people of Pakistan as an undying piece of history. The life of martyred Chairman has become a historic legend for the people of Pakistan. What happened to those who claimed that they will eliminate Bhuttoism? What happened to those who in 1977 touched Zia-ul-Haq's feet and said: "Bhutto's name is synonymous with the poor, we wish to get rid of Bhutto, hang him so that we the capitalists and industrialists could survive and the poor are deprived of their only hope for survival". They said: "kill Bhutto so that he does not survive". They said: "Do not hold elections because the poor will win, those who are oppressed, who are workers, who are laborers, who are tillers, who are identified as Bhutto, will win the elections". "Kill him, kill him, kill Bhutto." O, murderers you have carried out your heinous designs, you have murdered Bhutto, but look around, Bhutto is still alive, Bhutto is alive in the hearts of the poor, Bhutto is alive in every house and every village of Pakistan. Today a political leader announced in Frontier Province that they will wipe out Bhuttoism. Let me remind him that seventeen years ago in 1977 while sitting in the feet of a usurper you had claimed that you will completely uproot Bhuttoism, and today even after the passage of seventeen years you are repeating the same claim. Let me tell him that as long as poverty is not wiped out and as long as tyranny is not abolished Bhuttoism cannot be uprooted.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Chairman Bhutto was a leader who loved his people, and graves of great lovers are monuments of love and affection. The tomb of Shaheed Bhutto has become political and cultural centre of the people of all the four provinces of Pakistan. With the exception of Quaid-i-Azam, there is no other leader in Pakistan whose mausoleum is visited by hundreds and thousands of his admirers every year, where there is endless flow of his lovers and followers, where many a darvesh and devotees live and pray, where the enchanting melody of Mast Qalandar thrills every one and where Kalama-i-Mohammadi is recited and Naarai- i-Hyderi inspires our souls.
Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed is the first and the only political leader who for the first time in our national history gave us a unanimously approved constitution. It will be remembered for ever that the creator of our Constitution and a democratically elected Prime Minister was hanged by a dictator who usurped power by violating the Constitution. And is it not a matter of great pride for the people of Pakistan that all the rulers of Islamic countries, elected Prime Minister of Pakistan as Chairman of the Islamic World?
Ladies and gentlemen,
Is it not a unique and great privilege for Bhutto Shaheed that he brought together all the kings and rulers of Islamic Ummah at one platform ?
Ladies and gentlemen,
Chairman Bhutto was the only leader in the history of Pakistan who introduced the perception of peaceful nuclear programme and took important practical steps to translate this ideal into reality. Today some people criticize Bhutto Shaheed. Today some people who are our enemy, who are people's enemy, who are enemies of oppressed people, criticize the construction of Bhutto Shaheed's Mazar, they criticize the expenditure of Rs. 28 crore on this account. May I ask them as to why has he (the 'Pahalwan') spent Rs. 100 crore on the purchase of a helicopter for personal comfort? We have not spent rupees one hundred crore for our personal convenience. But today if the nation wishes to construct Shaheed Bhutto's mausoleum, why should any one object to it. It is a befitting tribute to a leader whom we salute for giving us peaceful nuclear programme, otherwise we would have been a weak and easy prey for our enemies. If today we are strong enough to face enemy it is not, oh Pahalwan, because of Pahalwans but because of that person who bowed before Allah and said " O my Allah; I will not bow my head before any one else except You. My head is my nation's head, my head is poor people's head. This head is not meant to bow before others. It is destined to be cut for the glory of Islam, for the sake of Pakistan and in the service of poor."
It was Chairman Bhutto who decided to construct Steel Mills, a lasting gift for the nation. It was Chairman Bhutto who conceived the Heavy Mechanical Complex project. It was Chairman Bhutto who initiated PAF Kamra's plan and last but not the least it was Chairman Bhutto who planned Indus Highway and Chashma Barrage projects.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Chairman Bhutto was Iqbal's man of unlimited qualities and courage who used to think of conquering the highest. Shaheed Baba, we salute your thoughts and actions. You told us that faithful never deviate from the path of truth, because this is the course of justice and fair play; service of the people should be the main objective of the Government; Muslims never submit before tyranny; and that we do not accept injustice.
People of Pakistan do not want the past history to be repeated. People of Pakistan do not wish to see darkness prevailing upon light. People of Pakistan do not want tyranny to replace justice. It was after seventeen years of dictatorial rule, fifteen years of (Bhutto's) martyrdom, followed by installation of party less Assembly and rigged Assembly, that our people were able to participate in fair and free elections, enjoy political stability and look towards a bright future. It is not an easy task to reconstruct a dilapidated house or a shattered life. It requires patience and perseverance. And as we know patience is always fruitful. We have made a firm commitment. of completely eliminating un-employment, corruption, drug menace, profiteering and Kalashinkov culture from our society. Those responsible for all these ills are aware of their fate. They are using their black money in stock piling flour and sugar. They are engaged in looking for opportunities of blackmarketing. They are exposing themselves by using abusive language and conspiring to regain power so that they could re-establish the rule of loot and plunder. But those days are gone, and gone for ever. The era of true democracy has dawned. People's rule has been established. Let it be clear that now no one will be able to undo it.
My dear brothers and sisters,
I am your sister. You have made me Prime Minister of Pakistan. You have reposed confidence in me. We shall prove worthy of your confidence. We are waging struggle against tyranny. We are waging struggle for eliminating poverty. Our voice is workers' voice, our voice is the voice of youth. We want every Pakistani to live respectably. Every child should receive education. Every patient should get medical care. Every one should have a house to live in. No one should go without food. Every daughter of Pakistan should enjoy full protection. Every mother and sister should feel safe and secure. We shall achieve all these targets within our present tenure. What our opponents could not do during their seventeen years rule, will be completed by us in four to five years time.
My dear brothers and countrymen,
This government has not come into power through rigging. Your government is a democratic, constitutional and people's government. Those who talk of removing this constitutional, and democratic government are' offenders of constitution, law and democracy. Our people who are poor and needy wish to have peace and tranquility so that they could earn their livelihood without any problem. They do not approve of confrontation and rioting. They do not approve of those politicians who want to play with the lives of poor people for achieving their personal political ends. They are engaged in all sorts of anti- people activities. Sometime there is call for strike, sometime public bus is set on fire and sometime there is a bomb blast. Why do they want to observe strike? Why do they burn public transport and why do they force shopkeepers to pull down their shutters? We have a functioning democracy and an elected government in the country. What do they wish to achieve through politics of bomb blasts and destruction? It is being done to have fresh elections? It is only five months ago that we had free and fair polls. Then what is the motive behind these subversive activities? I firmly believe that all their undemocratic acts like bomb- blasts, destroying public transport and forcing people to observe strike are motivated by their lust for power. If they are dreaming of fresh elections then let them not forget that they were defeated in the last elections, they had rigged 1990 elections and had suffered crushing defeat in 1988. They are destined to meet the same fate whenever elections are held. They can never win, they are bound to be humiliated. You have failed to achieve anything during your seventeen years rule. People of Pakistan are not blind, they are not naive. They have seen your performance during the seventeen years of your regime. If you claim to have done anything for the good of the country, better place it before the people. But if you have failed to serve the common man, and then stop indulging in politics of confrontation. Pakistan is a great country. Poverty is not our destiny. By the Grace of Allah and with the help and prayers of my brothers and sisters, my government will make Pakistan a developed and prosperous country.
My dear brothers, sisters and elders,
We are gathering here for the last fifteen years. Our friends reach here from the mountains of Khyber, deserts of Balochistan, banks of Ravi and Sindh. People of all the four provinces come to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh to pay homage to their martyred leader who sacrificed his life for the sake of the nation. This place has become symbol of Federal politics. You have been coming here with me every year. At times we had to face police barricades and were arrested. Nevertheless whether in power or out of power, irrespective of good or bad weather, the followers of Shaheed Bhutto have been reaching here to renew their commitment and pledge that "O our dear leader, you sacrificed your life for our sake. Your mission is alive, it will remain alive for centuries because you had stood up for the cause of humanity."
My dear friends, you are successors of Shaheed Bhutto, you are his sons and daughters, I am your sister, we are all alike. I am Prime Minister with the active support of the workers and followers of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. If I am the first elected woman Prime Minister of Islamic World and if in the history of Pakistan I am the first Prime Minister to have assumed this position for the second time, it is neither due to unlimited financial resources nor because of any "atom bomb", it is only due to the sincere efforts and prayers of my poor workers. Their help, co-operation and good wishes arc the main source of my success and strength.
Thank you.
Pakistan Paindabad.
