Z.A.BHUTTO : Architect of a new Pakistan

EDITORIAL: THE FRONTIER POST

When Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto met President John F Kennedy as Pakistan's foreign minister in Washington, Kennedy was so impressed by the young leader as to say if he (ZAB) was in the United States, he would have been in his cabinet. Bhutto replied, "Mr President, had I been in the US, I would have been in the White House and you in my cabinet". This was the real talent of the great leader who is now ruling from his grave at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh and who still commands millions of die-hard workers even after 43 years of his founding of the Pakistan People's Party with the pulsating message that poverty and ignorance is not the destiny of the poor and the downtrodden and an egalitarian society that promises an end of exploitation of man by man is the answer of their sufferings. PPP is celebrating eighty-fifth birthday of the late ZAB who was killed by dictator Gen Ziaul Haq's superior judiciary to deprive the country of a statesman who is second to none in Pakistan. If Quaid-i-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the maker of Pakistan, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was its architect. His birthday on Saturday was observed across the country. The day began with Quran Khwani at his grave where a number of political leaders paid glowing tributes to the man who was a revolutionary throughout his life telling the people that they were living in a repressive system that has to be changed. Soon after assuming power after the fall of Dhaka, Shaheed Bhutto promised to build a new Pakistan; one that is free from exploitation and social injustices, and history stands witness to the fact that he came good on his pledge. His visionary leadership shaped the events of the contemporary age according to what time had demanded. His policies became the guiding principles for all times to come. He changed the course of history in South Asia in the sense that his courageous actions saved his country from further disintegration. He did for his country what Lenin had done for the Soviet Union and Chairman Mao for the People's Republic of China. Simla Accord could be rated at this level of Pakistan's transformation as ZAB won this agreement as the leader of a defeated nation. Since assuming power this great man of vision and destiny, equipped with extraordinary intelligence and patriotic zeal fought successfully against feudal lords, sardars, capitalists, industrialists, big businessmen, religious fanatics and corrupt bureaucrats. The making of the 1973 Constitution, that is still the binding force of the federation, remains the most outstanding milestone in Pakistan's history besides other socio-economic and political reforms, particularly land reforms and the first labour policy, will also be remembered as steps for bringing basic change in the repressive system.