Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto sacrificed his life but did not take a U-turn, says Bilawal

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday said that late former premier and party founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto sacrificed his life, but did not take a U-turn.

Bilawal said so while addressing party workers from the compartment of his train. The PPP chairman is leading the "Caravan-e-Bhutto" train march from Karachi to Larkana.

"On April 4, it is the 40th death anniversary of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. I am travelling from Karachi to Larkana and hope all of you will also reach Garhi Khudha Baksh," he said.

"We will give the world a message that Bhutto is still alive and present for democracy."

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Bilawal said that Bhutto sacrificed his life, but the late former premier did not take a U-turn. The remark was an obvious hit at Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has in the past said that taking a U-turn to reach one's objective was the "hallmark of great leadership."

Upon reaching Kotri Station, the PPP chairman alleged that the rulers of the country were conspiring through "NAB Gardi", adding that the anti-graft body was formed to help run "selected governments".

"We have seen Zia's dictatorship, we are not scared of this government," he said. Bilawal later paid a tribute to late party founder by reciting a poem in his honour.

The march

Pakistan Peoples Party's train march against the federal government kicked off from Karachi's Cantt Station today (Tuesday) under the leadership of party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Titled as "Caravan-e-Bhutto", the special train of the Pakistan Railways will reach its final stop, Larkana, tomorrow. The train will stop at various locations, including Landhi, Kothri, Hyderabad. Shahdad Pur and Nawabshah among others.

The train was booked at a cost of approximately Rs1.5 million and includes 14 bogies and has facilities such as air-conditioned sleepers, a luxury salon which includes a kitchen and a meeting room. Eight economy class bogies and two bogies for guards are also part of the caravan.

The march comes ahead of the 40th death anniversary of late former premier and PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Earlier on Monday, PPP Karachi division president Saeed Ghani visited the party camp at Cantt Station and observed preparations for Caravan-e-Bhutto train march.

Speaking to the media, Ghani said if any hurdles were posed then they would even go on to push the train to go ahead with their march. 

He said the speeches by the party chairman had greatly perplexed the centre, adding that Bilawal would make a historic address on the death anniversary of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. 

"Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will expose the incompetence and failed policies of the federal government," the PPP leader said.