"My dear sisters and brethren, you are the real power; if Pakistan is a big country of the world and the world holds Pakistan in respect, it is because of your strong will and sacrifices. Your sister feels confident that they way you stood by the Quaid-i-Azam, the Quaid-i-Awam and the Pakistan People's Party for the development and well being of Pakistan, you will lend your strength to the daughter of the Qaid-i-Awam to achieve the cherished goal of a glorious, strong and prosperous Pakistan where they live in peace and an environment of dignity and honour.
"Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a great leader, he gave the country the Constitution in 1973; the people and he brave workers of Pakistan People's Party safeguarded the constitution in all odds; you remember the days when dictator Zia-ul-Haq attempted to undermine the constitution, they stood against him in saving the country's basic law. They used to gather at Liaquat Bagh vowing to protect the constitution and when they came out they were meted out the worst coercion. They were flogged and maltreated but after every lash they received on their body, they yelled the slogan of restoring the constitution and the release of Bhutto; they always said they stand for justice and will not yield before tyranny. This was the leadership of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto which turned Pakistan into a nuclear power.
"When the daughter of the Quaid-i-Awam came to power, army generals came to me saying that Indians have a missile technology that we do not have. This technology enables Indians to hit Pakistan with bombs; Pakistan will not be able to respond in making sure of our defence similarly secured. If they (Indians) know that Pakistan has the missile capability to give a befitting reply to their assault, they will not be able to attack Pakistan. Brethren and sisters, I provided the Pakistan armed forces the required missile technology as a deterrent and made the country's defence strong so that no aggression can be done against Pakistan and its people are ableto live with dignity. "The Pakistan People's Party has always made hectic efforts to make Pakistan strong. And when you elected your sister you did not only electa prime minister but also the first woman head of government in the whole of the Muslim world. This raised the image of Islam and Pakistan as an enlightened society. The Pakistan People's Party firmly believes in the well being of the people which alone is the greatest of the powers. We have a firm conviction in the thinking that strong army lone does not make countries strong, the real strength of a country lies in the empowerment, development and well being of its people.
"That is whenever the Pakistan People's Party came into power, it has held progress, development and improving the economic lot of the people in the highest priority. You may have nuclear power or missile technology but if you are poor and deprived of basic necessities, non-one can ensure the strength of the any government or the people to make that the country's defence is secured. The Pakistan People's Party has written in its manifesto that if the poor is living below the human standards, if the stomach of an industrial worker or a child is empty, if a good number of the people are living in abject poverty, if the educated youth and skilled and semi-skilled workforce is unemployed, it the salaries class is unable to keep the relation of heart and soul together and if an elderly pensioner is unable to live within his own means, the country cannot be said to be strong in defence and security no matter if it has nuclear power or missile technology. Such a country is always vulnerable to the dangers and conspiracies of the elements who are unsavory in approach and attitude towards the country; they will exploit the situation to their benefit.
"The Pakistan People's Party has always enjoyed the support, love and cooperation of the people. We have made strong governments and this strength was bestowed upon our governments by the people. No-one dared in the Pakistan People's Party governments to undermine our country; no-one ventured to impose war on us during our government; no-one was emboldened to resort to terrorism in our government. All these wars, whether in 1965 or in 1971, began in undemocratic regimes. Pakistan had to abdicate unilaterally during the Kargil episode and left our army men in lurch. This unfortunate incident did also not take place during the People's Party government because we hold the honour of this country as our own honour and we all can offer sacrifice for the country. "The People's Party governments established peace in the region. Our country was facing the threat that it will be declared as a terrorist state. When the People's Party came into power it got the country rid of the menace of terrorism and the threat of being declared as a terrorist state. The country is once again in the danger. Balochistan is our largest province and army operation is in progress there; the result is that a wave of despondency is current across the province. Our borders present a strange situation because the people have not been organised and there is a lack of cooperation with the adm ministration. The circumstances have so deteriorated that our police say that terrorists are about to attack and they want reinforcement.
"How the Quaid-i-Awam saved the country; he organised and mobilised the power of the people to retrieve the country out of every crises. Today our motherland is calling us that I am in danger, see Balochistan, see northern areas, see our mosques; this land, our land, is asking you, asking me for help. That is why I have come to you, I have come to this Liaquat Bagh at this historic moment; I have come to ask you to fix your seal on the arrow; arrow is the symbol of this country; arrow is the image of the pride and splendid future of the country. lnshallah, when the government of People's Party will be in place, we will implement a five-point programme. Our five-point programme promises jobs. How many of you know that there are around two million educated youth who have no jobs. When a leader criticises this state of affairs, the answer in reply is that the economy is shaping well; why you say it is in bad shape; the exchequer is robust. But I say their personal exchequer is going from strength to strength and not that of the people and their country. They privatised industries but the exchequer is still in empty; and they left two million people jobless.
"If we say that there is acute unemployment, people cannot live within the means of their salaries and pensioners cannot lead a respectable life; they say the economy is good and improving. They are not prepared to listen to anyone. Governments are under an obligation to pay heed to all grievances and solve the problems of the people. The People's Party has devised a comprehensive manifesto to salvage the country and its people out of crisis and removing unemployment is on the top of our agenda.
"We will also spread the light of education to every nook and corner of Pakistan. Your sister will give you a university at this Potohar region so that your children can get better and quality higher education and secure good jobs. Our third point is energy; neither an industry nor a tube well is run without energy or illuminate any household. Our fourth point is better environment and improved health facilities for 160 million people. I say that when the age of your parents reaches an advanced stage, can they go to a hospital and get quality health facilities; our hospitals need good machines, abundant medicines and dedicated doctors to give best possible treatment to the sick. This is the duty of a genuinely Islamic and democratic society; it must take care of the weaker classes; this is what humanity exactly demands. Humanity means that all classes should be enabled to live a life they want and society as a whole should benefit from its fruits. This also includes the will of the people to establish a government according to their aspirations. We will solve the problems of teachers and we will solve the problems of doctors. The People's Party government employed one lakh teachers and also trained them how to impart learning; this shows our resolve of making education popular and within the reach of all. We also recruited lady health visitors with the objective of reaching our mothers to apprise themselves of the health of their children.
"Equality; and jobs, education, environment, energy and equality complete our five-point programme. We understand that with this programme in practice, we will be able to fulfil the promise of the Quaid-i-Awam and the People's Party.
"My sisters, brothers, elders; we will raise the level of education and give the teacher respect and a quality life. We will set up industries in the public and private sectors so that the people get employment. Pakistan is an agricultural country and we will promote agriculture on the modern lines. We will review the oppressive IRO (Industrial Relations Ordinance) of 2002; will provide the mill hand with the opportunity of organising trade unions. Never in any of the People's Party governments downsizing took place and we will not do so in the future either. The Pakistan People's Party has always stood by the people; the history of the People's Party is replete with democratic struggle for (the rights of) the people.
"The Quaid-i-Awam was put to gallows, my two brothers were assassinated, my mother had her head injured with stave attack, your brother Asif Ali Zardari was put in jail, he was kept in Pindi and Attock prisons and I too was placed in prison and incarcerated several times. Yet we did not parted ways with the people and the people also remained steadfast and kept on supporting us; they are still with us and together we will realise the cherished goal of justice and a welfare society. Non-one of us left each other because ours is the way of truth, ours is the way of justice, ours is the way of legitimacy; non-one can separate us from pursuing this path.
"My brothers, this is a year of high importance; several incidents took place this year; the Chief Justice of Pakistan was sacked twice; our judges were arrested; Islamabad witnessed the incident of the Lal Masjid during which more than one hundred people were killed and everybody was became suspicious after these troublesome events if the elections will be held. When I returned home to fulfil my promise to you and bring about a change in the country, to restore democracy and dispense with dictatorship, elements inimical to this change and democracy convulsed the city of Karachi with a massive bomb explosion. The attempt was aimed at removing the entire People's Party leadership from the scene; disrupt the process of elections and pave the way for undemocratic elements to prolong and perpetuate in power unlawfully. But the saviour is bigger than the killer and this conspiracy failed. I pay my tribute to the martyrs who offered their lives to save the people's party leadership.
"When political orphans saw that elections are approaching and their era is ending, they once again conspired to get emergency imposed. They beseeched General Musharraf to remain the Chief of Army Staff for another five years.
"Your protest ignited political agitation throughout the country; long march was also held; this is because of the popular pressure that the conspiracy of political orphans has failed. These political orphans used to mislead and confuse the people by false claims that Mohtarma will not return; Mian Nawaz Sharif will not return. I want to ask these political orphans why did they tell a lie; Mohtarma returned home and Mian Sahib also came back and your falsehood stood exposed. These political orphans also tried their best to get emergency enforced. But my compliments to you brethren that you made them to flee and emergency rule came to an end. These political orphans also claimed that elections will not be held for two years; my compliments to you brethren that you have made them run away and now elections are being held on 8th of January.
"My sisters and brethren, you have given a great honour to your sister. Twice you elected me as the prime minister; it is no longer important if I become the prime minister for the third time; what is important is that I have risked my life while coming back; but I had to return because my country is in danger. I feel that the people feel concerned about the country's circumstances. That is why I have returned home; I have come to you to say that your sister needs those who are brave; who are courageous and who are national flag; the flag of our motherland and the flag of the Pakistan People's Party. I need your support in the work for the security and integrity of Pakistan; let us join hands to steer the country out of the crisis and rid the country from those who have endangered its security."
"Jiye Bhutto, Pakistan Zindabad!"