Her party wanted the restoration of judiciary in the country as today it was quite controversial and the electoral process stood derailed, she said at a news conference here on Sunday night, after arriving from Islamabad. She claimed that her party had the solutions for all national issues.
Commenting on President Musharraf's announcement of holding general elections before January 9, 2008, she remarked it was a positive step, but said there were many other outstanding issues to be resolved and the elections announcement alone would not defuse the political crisis engulfing the country. It would be better for Musharraf if he also announces his retirement as army chief. She, on this occasion, hit hard at the government for what she called "its non-democratic attitude," which she added, reflected from the arrests of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Opposition leader in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, the presidents of Supreme Court Bar and Lahore High Court Bar and hundreds of lawyers.
She warned that free and transparent elections were impossible under emergency and martial law, adding her party became the part of dialogues with the government for the elimination of Army Act and that was why she contacted other political parties too.
Benazir Bhutto said her party was the symbol of federation and hence was working to save the Federation. There are contradictory signals from the government as on the one hand it had announced the election schedule while on the other enforced Army Act. Lauding the role of media she said: "Media is the mirror of the society; it worked very courageously towards the cause of press freedom in the present stringent conditions in the country." Media was also victimised under the previous martial laws, she added. She also reiterated her demand for reorganisation of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
About the prevailing situation in Swat, she said: "The only solution to all problems in country and especially in Swat was the restoration of democracy, as the emergency was not in the interest of the people of Pakistan."
"Lahore is not only the capital of Punjab but also heart of Pakistan and I am thankful to my Pakistani brothers and sisters who prayed for me and made my entry in Pakistan possible," she remarked. Every martial damaged the country and the country was once again facing severe crisis because of martial law. "But we will save Pakistan from Martial Law with the support of the people."
"I cannot forget the day when the country was divided under the regime of a dictator and that day our generation pledged that we would not let Martial Laws come again as it always weakened the country internally," she said. She added that the job of army was to protect the frontiers, but it got involved in politics and thus become controversial. She regretted that that country's flag was removed from Bajaur Agency and the country faced the same danger in Swat now.
PPP chairperson said that now the country was once again in danger and army was being used against its own people. "Under such a dismal state of affairs I have come here to save Pakistan. It is our belief that we can save the country through restoration of democracy," she added.
She said that the army could support the political set-up, but could not be substitute to a political set-up.
To a question, she said that she had received a letter form Mian Nawaz Sharif whose contents were being reviewed by the party and replied in the positive when asked about her contact with Ishaq Dar in Dubai. She said that there was a strong possibility of coming the both parties closer.
Benazir Bhutto also denied the reports of her negotiations with General Musharraf regarding power sharing and said she talked about peaceful transfer of power, but unfortunately its road map remained unimplemented.
Earlier, the PPP chairperson was warmly received by the party leadership and workers at Allama Iqbal International Airport in the afternoon. Hundreds of enthusiastic party workers showered flowers upon her and raised slogans.
Talking to media outside the airport, Benazir Bhutto said she had decided to lead a long-march from the Data Darbar for the restoration of democracy, protection of people's rights, restoration of law and order and the Constitution. She said that a big majority of the people of Pakistan fully supported the manifesto of PPP. She demanded a caretaker set-up at federal and provincial levels immediately.
"If the political orphans of Punjab did not stop us, you would see nobody would be able to stop the flood of people on 13th November," she chanted. While opposing the 'Army Act' she said trial of civilians under this act would be against the basic human rights and also injustice with the army itself. What the people of Pakistan want from army is to defend the motherland, she remarked. Pakistan is facing multiple problems, including the big one of restoration of the judiciary, she said.
Later, accompanied by PPP Punjab President Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Naheed Khan, Farzana Raja, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Naveed Chaudhry and other key party leaders, she went to the Data Darbar where she laid a floral wreath, offered fateha and prayed for the country's safety, stability and solidarity. Data Darbar administration presented her a veil on this occasion. The party leaders, workers and activists in large number were with her on her way from the airport to the Data Darbar.
On this occasion, strict security measures were adopted by the law enforcing agencies at the airport and no one other than the ticket holders was allowed to enter the airport. She had also been provided a bullet proof vehicle for her safety. The police had put barricades on all ways leading to the airport to restrict PPP workers' movement, who had been directed by their leadership to reach the airport in large number to welcome the party chairperson in a befitting manner.