BADIN/HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari on Saturday visited southern Sindh districts of Thatta, Sujawal and Badin where party workers and supporters in large numbers warmly welcomed him.

Crowds of men, women and children had gathered at different spots along the route of his motorcade as it passed through Malir, Ghaggar Phatak, Dhabeji, Gharo, Gujjo, Makli, Thatta, Saeedpur, Sujawal, Golarchi and Badin.

The PPP chairman waved at them to express his gratitude over the warm welcome.

He spoke to the people at several places and to local reporters during his journey and brief stopovers.

PPP chairman warmly welcomed by people of Badin, Thatta and Sujawal districts

Addressing the Badin people, he acknowledged that they

always supported PPP in elections, long march against “puppet prime minister” and other occasions. He expressed his confidence that the masses in Sindh would continue to support PPP in future. He said it was only PPP that had solutions to the problems being faced by Pakistan.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also stressed that the country needed a youth leadership.

“Pakistan, being a country with majority of youth, requires a youth leadership to sail it out from the political and economic quagmires,” he said.

He said he would not claim that he would solve all problems overnight, but could promise that a PPP government would always be a people’s government.

“When someone else comes to power, it is the government of the rich and elite,” he remarked.

The PPP chairman also criticised successive governments for always seeking sacrifices from the general public.

“Whenever they are engaged in talks with the IMF, they tell people that the time for sacrifice has come. I think that now the people of Pakistan have the right to ask what the state is doing for us … and what the government is doing for the people, instead of seeking mere sacrifices,” he said.

“When a people-friendly government is formed, projects like Benazir Income Support Programme and Apni Zameen-Apna Makan are launched and youth get employment,” he added.

In reply to a question asked by a newsman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said: “I think the current economic crisis, as serious as it is, can only be solved by elected representatives of the people. I think, democracy is the solution to all the problems of Pakistan,” he said.

Replying to another question, he said there was no objection to the caretaker government, “but if it becomes the chair-taker from caretaker, then there will be objection”.

Bhutto-Zardari said that the economic problems that Pakistan was currently facing were unprecedented. He urged all political parties in the country to move beyond blaming others and find solutions to these problems.

In Badin, Bhutto-Zardari drove to the residence of former provincial minister Dr Sikandar Mendhro to offer his condolences to his wife, Senator Dr Khalida Sikandar over his death.

The PPP chairman also drove to the Makli residence of late Abdul Wahid Soomro, the party’s former record and event secretary, to condole his death with uncle and nephew.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023