No more terror in Karachi, only development and prosperity, says Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Sunday that the era of terrorism in Karachi is over, and now it is time for an era of development and prosperity to begin in the city.

The PPP chief made these remarks while addressing people in different parts of the Central and West districts of the metropolis during his visits to their rain-affected localities. Addressing a large number of supporters and other people gathered at KDA Chowrangi in North Nazimabad and in the Yousuf Goth area, the younger Zardari said Karachi will be run by his party’s members from now on and they will resolve all the basic issues of the city.

He said that the storm water drainage system of District Central had been badly affected due to the Green Line section of the bus rapid transit project and the issue needed to be resolved. He added that while the de-silting of the storm water drains will indeed be carried out, all such civic works will be carried out with due justice.

“The house of no one from among you will be demolished until the time that an alternative accommodation has been provided to the affected people,” he said. He said this in connection with the anti-encroachment operation under way in the city to clear the passage of storm water drains, as houses have been illegally built on the land of the drains.

Addressing the general public assembled on the occasion, the PPP chairman said the Sindh government was standing with them and compensation would be provided to the people affected by the recent heavy rains in the city.

“We will be able to get the right of the NFC [National Finance Commission] Award from the federation if the people lend us their support for this cause,” he said. He appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to release Karachi’s money deposited with it to the Sindh government so that the problems of the people of the city could be resolved. He said that the late leaders of the PPP, namely Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, had been on a mission to serve the masses.

“Benazir Bhutto was well-known for the slogan ‘Benazir Aayegi, Rozgaar Laayegi’ [When Benazir comes into power, jobs will be provided],” he said. “That mission to serve the masses is now our mission.”

Referring to the nation commemorating Defence Day of Pakistan, the PPP chief recalled that the salaries of army officials had been increased by 175 per cent during the tenure of former president Asif Ali Zardari.

He said the PPP should now form the federal government so that the provinces could get their rightful share in the NFC Award for the increase in salaries and pensions as well as for providing job opportunities to the people.

The younger Zardari visited the Nazimabad, Nagan Chowrangi, New Karachi, Surjani Town and Yousuf Goth areas, and he was accorded a rousing welcome by his party’s members and the locals in all of those places. The people also showered his vehicle with rose petals.

He was accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and provincial ministers and PPP leaders Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, Awais Shah, Waqar Mehdi, Rashid Rabbani, Shahida Rehmani and Liaquat Askani among others. This was the third consecutive day that the PPP chairman visited the rain-affected areas of Karachi.