JEDDAH, 12 January 2008 — Speakers at a function celebrating the 132nd birth anniversary of Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, paid tribute to recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto and called for transparent investigations into her death. Speakers at the Pakistan Repatriation Council-organized event, which was held on Thursday at Jeddah’s Mehran Restaurant, called for a return to the teachings of Jinnah, saying this was the only way for Pakistan to prosper. The event also witnessed the passing of numerous resolutions that included calls for a fair investigation into Benazir’s death, a solution to the Kashmir issue and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.
In his presidential address, Naseem Sehar paid tribute to Benazir as a courageous and national leader with a vision for Pakistan. Ghulam Nabi Butt, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Committee, praised Jinnah for creating a homeland for Muslims. He urged the implementation of a UN resolution for a plebiscite in Kashmir, called on President Musharraf to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis and said that Benazir was an international leader, who wanted to build Pakistan according to the dreams of Quaid-e-Azam and Zulfiqar Bhutto.
Jameel Rathore, secretary-general of the Pakistan Journalists Forum, praised the PRC for organizing functions on Pakistani issues and said that without Jinnah Pakistan would never have been possible. He added that Benazir’s death was a conspiracy against both Pakistan and democracy.
Rauf Tahir, a senior journalist in Jeddah, said Jinnah was man of principle whose character and honesty were recognized by his opponents. He added that Pakistan’s founding father wanted the rule of law and justice. He criticized the rising prices and scarcity of essential commodities in Pakistan.
The organizer of the event, Ehsanul Haque, said that Jinnah’s struggle and strong leadership transformed the vision of Allamah Iqbal into reality.
