RAWALPINDI: PPP Workers’ leader Naheed Khan on Sunday announced to set up a hunger strike camp outside the National Press Club from May 14 to start a ‘political, social and economic revolution’ in the country.

Speaking at a workers’ convention held at Rawalpindi Press Club, she said there was a need to stand up and be counted for the rights of the citizens.

“As many as 22 rich families in the country considered politics their right and they come again and again in guise of different political parties. But the workers will stand up and end the politics of these families.”

Ms Khan said former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had raised voice for the voiceless people and brought politics to small houses. After him, Benazir Bhutto done a lot to bring socio-economic changes in society.

Says she wants a ‘political, social and economic revolution’ in country

But now no leader is raising voice for the oppressed segments of the society.

She urged Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and the army to promote education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where people lacked schools for girls as well as boys.

The present government did nothing to educate the people and provide basic facilities, including clean drinking water, to them.

She said she escaped the December 27, 2007, deadly attack outside Liaquat Bagh in which former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. “I was saved just to avenge the assassination of BB from those who carried it out,” she said.

PPP Workers President Safdar Abbasi said the country lacked political leadership and there was a dire need to improve the image of politicians which had been destroyed by Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif.

He said Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif introduced foul language in politics and instead of improving their performances were still sticking to their guns. “They are dancing to the tunes of others,” he said.

Mr Abbasi said the Charter of Democracy had been signed 10 years ago but it was not implemented yet. “Benazir Bhutto wanted to make politics neat and clean and bring common man in the front but things have not changed.”

He said there was a dispute between Zardari-led PPP and the PPP Workers over the name of the party.

He said the PPP Workers had appealed to the Supreme Court to solve the matter but the vase was pending in the court. He said they had also submitted a request to the Election Commission of Pakistan to give back the name of their party to them.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2018