\u201cIt does not matter who is in power today. It matters who will lead us tomorrow,\u201d: CO chairman PPP<\/p>\n
KARACHI:\u00a0Former president and Co-Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari returned Friday to Pakistan in a private jet from Dubai.
\nAddressing supporters upon his return, he said, \u201cI remember the day when Bibi (Benazir Bhutto) came here and you were here to welcome her. Bibi is [still] here with us, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is [also] here with us.\u201d
\n\u201cThere is a lot of dismay at the moment in the country but I do not have a plan of despair. I have brought the message of hope,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cPakistan is a nation that has overcome all challenges. Pakistan is not a country of terrorists,\u201d the former president said.
\nZardari addresses supporters after his arrival in Pakistan.
\n\u201cIt does not matter who is in power today. It matters who will lead us tomorrow,\u201d he said, assuring his supporters that PPP will be in power again.
\n\u201cI want to send a message to all political actors in this country – We may occasionally leave the country, but we will always be buried in its soil,\u201d the co-chairman of PPP said.
\n\u201cThose taking credit for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) seemed to have forgotten who the architect for the plan was,\u201d he said, adding that CPEC is not just a road but a much more comprehensive development project.
\nAccording to media reports, Zardari left for Bilawal House, the PPP headquarters in Karachi, after the speech in a helicopter.
\nZardari returned to Pakistan after abruptly leaving the country in June last year following a hard-hitting speech, in which he lashed out at the military establishment for overstepping its domain.
\nHe was accompanied on his return by political stalwarts Babar Awan, Rehman Malik and seven others.
\nZardari met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the waiting lounge of the old Jinnah terminal before making his public appearance.
\nZardari consults with his party leaders upon arrival at the old Jinnah terminal.
\nZardari flew in on chartered flight PTP-555 from the Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai.
\nSenior party leader Nisar Khuro and other party stalwarts waited outside the airport to welcome Zardari in the truck used by slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto in her historic Oct 18, 2007 rally.
\nZardari later delivered a speech from the same truck.
\nStringent security measures were taken in preparation. Party workers provided the bulk of the security, but between 5,000 and 6,000 police officers had also been deployed in the area.
\nOfficers of the Special Branch and Bomb Disposal Squad were also engaged.
\nThe celebrations are expected to continue into the evening as party workers have been spotted putting up lights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cIt does not matter who is in power today. It matters who will lead us tomorrow,\u201d: CO chairman PPP KARACHI:\u00a0Former president and Co-Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari returned Friday to Pakistan in a private jet from Dubai. Addressing supporters upon his return, he said, \u201cI remember the day when Bibi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8449","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n