Message of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party
On April 4, 2004

"The present dictatorship and anti democratic forces have conspired to disempower and impoverish the people of Pakistan. Despite their efforts to rig elections and establish a powerless Parliament, which is kept in the dark about vital issues including Indo Pak relations, Nuclear Export scandal and the WANA operation, they have failed to extinguish the flame of freedom. The tyranny of the dictatorship is rejected by the masses of the country who dream of a Pakistan where they can live in hope of peace, progress and prosperity.

"The Pakistan Peoples Party which is the symbol of the resistance to tyranny, injustice and despotic rule is determined to stand by the people and to raise their voice on behalf of the suffering and oppressed masses of the country irrespective of any obstacle put in its path. Today Democracy is vandalized and state institutions systematically destroyed to advance a dictatorship that has led to a jobless economy.

"The present dictatorship has squandered its time in political manipulations leaving little time for governance. On the contrary, PPP gave the country the unanimous Constitution, its mega developmental projects including the Steel Mills, Karkoram Highway, Kamra aeronautical complex to name only a few. It also strengthened the defence of the country with the nuclear and missile programmes.

"However, PPP's main program was to help the poor and the suffering. Shaheed Bhutto loved the poor.  His economic policies and development strategies were geared to eradicate poverty and alleviate the economic and social sufferings of the people.

"Today as the people have slipped into abject poverty and are committing suicides because of joblessness and economic hardships the vision of the PPP to strengthen the country through sound economic policies and social emancipation where the daughters and sons of the land march together onto the road of education, health and have factories humming with activity and agriculture exporting to the four corners of the world is a ringing endorsement that democracy and development go hand in hand.

"During the past four years the military government has been following anti poor policies, which have increased poverty and the miseries of the people. Despite massive borrowings of about US$ 1.6 billion from international lending agencies on unfavourable terms and receiving grants of 1.8 billion dollars from bilateral sources for poverty alleviation alone during this period the incidence of poverty increased substantially.

"It is a measure of the failed economic policies of the military regime that today suicides driven by unemployment and poverty in the country are rampant as never before.  Today 38 percent people have slipped into absolute poverty as compared to 28 percent during the PPP government under me and 20 percent during the first PPP government.

"Foreign private investments, which was over one billion dollars during PPP Government, has been averaging about US$ 400 million during the military government. During the last eight months (July 2003 to Feb 2004) alone it declined by 43% as compared to last year. Remittance from abroad declined by 11%. The inflation rate increased from 3% to 4% and for the poor class it increased to 8 %, because of manifold increase in the prices of food and utilities. The trade imbalance was further increased as the exports increased by only 14% as against the imports
that increased by 17%. A large number of banks branches were closed because small deposit (up to Rs. 10,000), which constituted 46% of the total bank deposits during FY 2002-2003, fell down to 27%.

"Valuable national institutions and corporations are being doled out to the favourites at cheaper prices robbing the employees and people. Corruption is widespread. "Let the people of Pakistan judge who will provide them social and economic security: Democracy or dictatorship; Benazir or Musharaf?

"The Pakistan Peoples Party urges all the democratic forces in the country to renew their determination to fight for the restoration of democracy in the country. It also urge the people to forge unity in their ranks to fight for the restoration of Constitution, rule of law and against all forms of bonapartism. It asks the workers of Pakistan Peoples Party to make a solemn pledge on this day to uphold these lofty ideals and keep the banner of Party's founder aloft".