KARACHI(National Times)- Eminent speakers shed light on the life and accomplishments of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at a seminar on the eve of his 47th death anniversary on Friday evening.
The seminar titled ‘Zulfikar Ali Bhutto: Global Vision and Contemporary Conflicts’ was held at the Arts Council of Pakistan.
Presiding over the event, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said when he was a child, it was Bhutto prime. Mr Shah’s family was associated with the PPP from the beginning. He had three times the opportunity to get close to the late prime minister and shake his hand. It made him feel like a big man, he said.
The chief minister with reference to Mr Bhutto’s global vision mentioned seven points. The first was, during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Mr Bhutto was the foreign minister of the country. After the war he left the government on policy matters. “Because Bhutto sahib’s foreign policy was based on strategic autonomy. He didn’t want to be associated with a single block. He wanted an independent foreign policy for Pakistan,” he said.
CM says his vision of strategic autonomy and public empowerment remains guiding force for Pakistan; Arts Council holds seminar on eve of Bhutto’s 47th death anniversary
The second point that Mr Shah talked about was that Bhutto was the first one to recognise China’s strategic importance.
The third point, the chief minister said, was that the late prime minster wanted unity in the Islamic world. “At the time, Muslim leaders would not even look at each other. He brought them together at one place. If Bhutto was alive today, this [war against Iran] would not have happened.”
Mr Shah regarding the fourth point said before anybody else, Mr Bhutto spoke about global south. “We are to date working on the same principles.”
The fifth point: Mr Bhutto’s was the strongest voice in favour of Palestine. The second last point that the chief minister mentioned was about Mr Bhutto’s stance on Kashmir — Kashmir was the unfinished agenda of the partition. “To date, it’s unfinished. His speeches at the UN are still inspiring to us.”
The seventh and last point that Mr Shah presented was that Mr Bhutto initiated Pakistan’s nuclear programme because of which today we stand strong as a country.
He then briefly spoke on the late prime minister’s personal qualities. He said Mr Bhutto could easily interact with both with a hari and a government official in France. He was also the one who introduced the concept of the ‘awami leader’ into Pakistani politics.
Earlier, former information minister Mushahid Hussain said, “I’m from Lahore. We [in Lahore] achieved political consciousness thanks to the leadership Mr Bhutto.”
He highlighted three achievements of the late prime minister. The first was to do with the country’s nuclear programme whose decision was taken in 1972. The second was related to the 1973 Arab-Israel war. “Egypt and Syria versus Israel. Mr Bhutto and Shah Faisal of Saudi Arabia developed a strategy. Pakistan Air Force pilots flew planes for Egyptian and Syrian Air Force, and Pakistani pilots shot down two Israeli planes.”
The third achievement that Mr Hussain talked about was that Mr Bhutto organised the Islamic Summit. “These days the Muslim leadership is afraid of America and Israel and their awam, but Bhutto sahib had the ability and vision, that is why today we salute his memory and leadership.”
Arts Council President Ahmed Shah, journalists Mazhar Abbas and Sohail Waraich, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, academic Dr Huma Baqai and former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani also spoke at the event, which was moderated by Dr Jaffer Ahmed.
No central gathering this year
In Larkana, PPPs Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has announced that the party will mark the 47th death anniversary of the party founder on Saturday (April 4) by holding Quran khwanis and prayer gatherings at district level across the province, as well as at the Bhuttos’ mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.
“The traditional large central gathering at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh will not be held this year due to austerity measures,” he said in a statement issued here on Friday.
