Ghani praises PPP loyalists’ devotion to Benazir during Karsaz tragedy

Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani on Friday said that the courageous loyalists of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had displayed exemplary selfless devotion to their beloved leader Benazir Bhutto.

The LG minister said that instead of fleeing after the first bomb blast at Karsaz on October 18, 2007, the PPP workers remained steadfast in their duty to protect the truck carrying Benazir on Sharea Faisal.

Ghani, who is also the PPP Karachi president, made these remarks while speaking to the media after visiting the graves of seven martyrs of the Karsaz tragedy who are buried at the Azam Basti Graveyard in the city. The twin bombings at Benazir’s homecoming rally had resulted in mass casualties.

The minister recalled that the second bomb blast at Karsaz had caused even greater casualties due to the large number of PPP workers encircling Benazir’s truck to secure it against further sabotage attempts. He noted that PPP activists and supporters did not flee the scene even after the two bomb blasts.

He described the Karsaz tragedy as one of the deadliest terror incidents in the world, saying that over 170 PPP activists and supporters had been martyred, with more than 500 injured. He emphasised that the history of the struggle for the restoration of democracy is incomplete without acknowledging these martyrs and the Karsaz tragedy.

He reiterated that the PPP has continuously made sacrifices for the cause of democracy, asserting that it is the only political party in the country whose leaders and workers have laid down their lives to restore democracy in Pakistan.

He highlighted that the PPP has always waged a peaceful struggle for the continuation of democracy, and that its leaders and workers have lost their lives in the fight against terrorism. In response to a question, he explained that the constitution outlines the procedure for passing a constitutional amendment, saying that no single political party can impose its proposals.

He noted that a two-thirds majority is necessary to pass a constitutional amendment, which requires consultation with all the parties concerned. He regarded it as a positive development that all the relevant parties have come together for the latest amendment.

He opined that internal conflicts have plagued the affairs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the outset, and that numerous examples exist to support this claim. He informed the journalists that the PTI has been agitating while simultaneously attempting to negotiate with the government through Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He remarked that while the PTI is in favour of the amendment, they have not been vocal about it, indicating divisions within the party.

He lamented that the PTI has rendered the judges of the apex judiciary controversial, asserting that the PTI founder is the fundamental cause of the ongoing problems in the country. He said that since the PTI came to power, the country has faced multiple crises due to Imran Khan’s stubbornness and egoistic thinking. Ghani characterised Khan’s conduct as apolitical, noting that he is unwilling to engage in talks with any political party and is only interested in negotiating with the establishment.