Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, speaking at a ceremony marking the 98th birth anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has claimed that the 1977 movement against the former prime minister was backed by external “forces” who did not want to see a Muslim country become strong and united.
Addressing the event at the Peoples Secretariat today, the chief minister stated that Mr Bhutto was considered a threat because of his capacity to unite the Muslim world, citing the Islamic Summit Conference he convened in Lahore as a prime example of bringing leaders from Muslim nations together on a single platform.
The ceremony, organised by the party”s District East chapter, commemorated the birth of the Pakistan Peoples Party founder. It was attended by notable figures including Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani and Senator Waqar Mahdi.
In his address, Mr Shah lauded Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as a visionary and people-centric leader who fundamentally altered Pakistan’s political, constitutional, and defence frameworks. He credited Bhutto with giving the country its 1973 Constitution, securing the release of 90,000 prisoners of war, and reclaiming the economic potential of Tharparkar.
The chief minister specifically emphasised Bhutto”s role in establishing Pakistan”s defence capability. “Our armed forces today possess strong defensive capabilities because of the strategic vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,” Mr Shah remarked, adding that this enabled the nation to stand confidently against larger adversaries.
Recounting a personal anecdote to illustrate Bhutto’s impact on social equality, CM Shah described how he once observed common people sitting on the ground while a few elites had chairs at a gathering. On a subsequent visit, he noted everyone was seated on chairs, which he attributed to the empowerment and dignity Bhutto’s leadership afforded to ordinary citizens.
Mr Shah asserted that this principle of popular empowerment remains a core tenet of the PPP, enabling its ordinary workers to defeat wealthier and more powerful opponents in elections. “Shaheed Bhutto taught us that the real source of power is the vote of the people,” he said.
The chief minister also paid homage to the sacrifices of the Bhutto family, recalling that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto, and Shaheed Shahnawaz Bhutto were all martyred in the struggle for democracy and public rights.
He assured attendees that the mission of public service, initiated by the party”s founder and continued by his daughter, would be upheld under the current leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The event concluded with the chief minister and other party leaders cutting a cake to celebrate the birth anniversary.