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The events that led to the resurrection and reclamation of Pakistan Peoples Party on March 15,1995 by Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto and the party workers. After Shahadat of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4,1979 Begum Nusrat Bhutto, led the party and Mrs. Benazir Bhutto assumed the office of Co-chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party. Begum Nusrat Bhutto was nominated life Chairperson of the party by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto when he was in Rawalpindi Jail's death cell. Pakistan Peoples Party continued its struggle against the dictatorial regime of General Zia. Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shaheed Shah Nawaz Bhutto who were in exile continued their struggle against dictatorship and for restoration democracy and the rights of masses of Pakistan. Both the brothers were doing their utmost to expose the ulterior motives and nefarious designs of the then Military rule headed by Gen. Zia. After a long struggle of the people of Pakistan general elections were held in Pakistan in 1988. General Zia was killed in an Air crash on 17.8.1988. PPP won the elections and party came into power, Mrs. Benazir Bhutto become the Ist: woman Prime Minister of Pakistan. When she came in power, she changed her thoughts and ideas. She inuntiated a new doctrine- of compromises. In her own terms this doctrine of compromises means "pragmatic approach" to attain power. This transition in her ideals was fatal to the ideology of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, she subverted the ideology, completely deviated from the path set by her great and Illustrious father. She included in her team, those who were involved in the assassination of Z.A.Bhutto (whom, Mir Murtaza Bhutto used to call remnants of Zia) The logical conclusion was that, the most popular politically, Pakistan Peoples Party lost its ground and its graph was falling at a rocket- speed. Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto after a long and painful exile of 16 years returned to Pakistan on Nov, 3,1993, he contested Sindh Provincial Assembly's election while he was in exile and was elected from his hometown Larkana. Mrs. Benazir Bhutto tried her best to refrain him (Murtaza) from returning back to Pakistan. However Mir Murtaza Bhutto returned back to Pakistan and the movement his plane landed at Karachi Airport he was arrested. Struggle enough that Mir Murtaza Bhutto was arrested by his own sister's Govt. He was to be tried by the Special Court for suppression of terrorist activities (STA). 81 cases were registered against him during the martial law regime. Mir Murtaza Bhutto was released by the court as according to the court’s judgement "not a shred of evidence was produced by the prosecution against Murtaza to prove that he is guilty". He was released on bail on June 5, 1994. Mir Murtaza Bhutto tried his best to persuade his sister Prime Minister through public meetings, press conferences to revert back to the ideals and manifesto of his father and follow the high principle of Pakistan Peoples Party, finally he met Ms. Benazir at Prime Minister House Islamabad, but due to intervention of Zardari things could not conclude. Mir Murtaza Bhutto and the rest of the party members and millions of Pakistanis believed that the solution to their problems and the progress and prosperity of their motherland lie in the ideology of Bhuttoism. But unfortunately Benazir did not move an inch from her way of life and rule she and her colleagues indulged in loot and plunder of national wealth. Corruption was not only rampant but a new culture called "corruption culture" was being created. People of Pakistan were disillusioned, deceived. Mir Murtaza Bhutto once said" it is a historical betrayal of Shaheed Bhutto’s ideology by Benazir". There was no choice for the people of Pakistan but to gather around Mir Murtaza Bhutto. People believed in heart of their hearts that "here comes the real emancipator of the downtrodden masses, bold, incorruptible, undaunted and true to his mission". The basic principles of the Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto) is the original ones of PPP of 1967. i.e;
In additions to the above principles Z.A Bhutto gave three common slogans of Roti (bread), Kapra (clothing), Makan (shelter), to the people of Pakistan. Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto further improvised those slogans keeping in view the objectives and prevailing conditions, and gave following five new slogans to the party in addition to the above mentioned slogans.
Mir Murtaza Bhutto (Shaheed) had already put his five point agenda for anticipated rapprochement. They were (1) Reinstatement of Begum Nusrat Bhutto to her original position (Life Chairperson of the Party) (2) Election in democratic way within party rows (3) Removal of Zia remnants from the party. (4) Audit of party accounts and made open to all (5) Party Ticket awarding system be reformed and sacrifice paying workers be given priority. Mir Murtaza Bhutto Shaheed also pledged that he him self will not be candidate for any party positions if elections are held. Till beginning of 1995 there was no response from Benazir Bhutto and she procrastinated on the one or other plea. There was demand of lovers of Z.A. Bhutto and genuine workers of Pakistan Peoples Party who urged Mir Murtaza Bhutto to reclaim and resurrect Pakistan Peoples Party. The historical compulsions demanded that to save Z.A.Bhutto’s party his ideology and the hopes and aspirations of the people of Pakistan and Pakistan Peoples Party. Now the party founded by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on Nov.30, 1967 is called Pakistan Peoples Party (SB) headed by Mrs. Ghinwa Bhutto as its Chairperson. ****************************** |