LAHORE: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Punjab President Raja Pervez Ashraf stated on Friday that the 18th Amendment was passed with consensus and received collective approval from all political parties, though amendments can be enacted with a parliamentary majority. Speaking about cultural traditions, he remarked that Basant is a beautiful festival and that protecting human life during social activities is commendable.

 

Raja Pervez Ashraf was addressing party workers at the newly established PPP office inaugurated by PPP Lahore President Faisal Mir, Majid Ghauri, and General Secretary Lahore Dr Ayesha Shaukat. The former Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic reception he received from supporters and commended Faisal Mir and Dr Ayesha for living up to the leadership's trust. He confidently predicted the return of the PPP in Lahore and Punjab, challenging critics who claim the party has weakened by asking who has become stronger in its place. He emphasized that the political pendulum does not determine a party's strength or weakness.

 

The former Prime Minister highlighted that the third generation of the PPP is now active in politics and asserted that the party will play a crucial role in the coming times. He acknowledged Majid Ghauri's efforts in strengthening the party in Lahore and urged workers to fortify the party down to the union council level through principles and discipline. He noted that there is hardly any household that has not been associated with the PPP at some point and stressed the particular need to bring youth and women into the party fold.

 

Raja Pervez Ashraf declared that Lahore's new organization will bring about a revolution in the city that will spread throughout Punjab. He expressed satisfaction that there is significant agreement between the new and old organizations in Lahore and stated that apologizing to one's own people is beneficial because internal disputes consume energy. He reaffirmed that the PPP fights for the oppressed classes in the country and that President Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto have raised Bhutto's flag.

 

Addressing current political dynamics, the former Prime Minister stated that this is not a battle of insults but of numbers, emphasizing the need to increase the party's representation in the assembly. He claimed that the PPP was deliberately removed from Punjab's power politics through conspiracy and acknowledged that the party is currently in an alliance. He noted that if the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had not come together, the country's integrity would have been at risk. He added that this alliance will remain as long as necessary and cautioned against attacking anyone, clarifying that the party advocates not for extremism but for working with intensity.

 

General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza observed that the PPP has established its office in Lahore after a considerable period. He reminded workers that every political worker experiences both progress and decline along with opportunities and positions. He cited the example that in 2002, the PML-N had only 22 members in the assembly before receiving a two-thirds majority and noted that Khan Sahib initially came alone but now considers himself a source of power.

 

Hassan Murtaza urged workers to strengthen Faisal Mir's leadership, arguing that if the PPP becomes strong in Lahore, it will gain strength in other cities as well. He clarified that the new officials represent a unanimous decision of the PPP and were nominated by the chairman, declaring that the new president is the collective president and decisions should be accepted once made. He called for moving beyond organizational battles and advancing by acknowledging shortcomings and failures.

 

He characterized the PPP as oxygen for liberals and warned that if PPP workers do not mobilize today, it will be a tragedy. He accused authorities of staging a drama with the death of a mother and daughter in a gutter to obscure the truth from people. He pointed out that in 2026, people continue to die by burning in fires and drowning in gutters, noting that four officers were suspended and arrested and a station house officer was appointed. He dismissed suspensions as a joke and questioned how anyone could be made an example by giving ten million rupees. Hassan Murtaza insisted that wrong is wrong wherever it occurs and that cosmetic surgery will no longer be tolerated, declaring that liars should be hanged first and criminals later.

 

Secretary Information Shahzad Saeed Cheema stated that slogans of the PPP echoed in Johar Town today and predicted they will resonate throughout Lahore in the near future.

 

PPP Lahore President Faisal Mir expressed gratitude for the responsibility entrusted to him by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and President Asif Zardari. He acknowledged that the party has been strengthened by Majid Ghauri's partnership and support in the PPP Lahore team, noting that the team has begun organizing and launching membership drives in every street of Lahore. He identified fixing the party's impression in Lahore as the first target and predicted that the Kashmir will become Pakistan rally will prove to be a power show for the PPP. He stated that after the Kashmir rally, under the leadership of Raja Pervez Ashraf, Hassan Murtaza and Shahzad Cheema, the party will reclaim Punjab.

 

Dr Ayesha Shaukat declared that the PPP has only one agenda, which is Prime Minister Bilawal Bhutto, and predicted that a PPP government will soon be formed in Punjab.

 

Majid Ghauri credited Samina Gharki with planting the sapling of Faisal Mir in the soil of the PPP and proclaimed that Bhutto will now emerge from every home, street, square and intersection. He challenged critics to give the party six months to fill Minar-e-Pakistan and called for allopathic workers, not homeopathic ones.

 

Party workers gave an enthusiastic welcome upon the arrival of former Prime Minister and PPP Central Punjab President Raja Pervez Ashraf in Lahore. The distinguished guest received a grand reception outside Doctors Hospital, Mughal Eye Hospital and the PPP Johar Town office. Party workers showered flowers on the former Prime Minister's vehicle and performed bhangra to the beat of drums while chanting slogans of Bhutto is alive and Prime Minister Bilawal Bhutto.

 

Accompanying the former Prime Minister were General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza, Secretary Information Shahzad Saeed Cheema, Ahsan Rizvi, Rao Babar Jamil and Zeeshan Shami. PPP Lahore President Faisal Mir, Majid Ghauri, Chaudhry Riaz, Amir Nasir Butt and other leaders welcomed the distinguished guests. The event was attended by a large number of workers including Rana Jamil Manj, Umar Sharif Bukhari, Shahida Jabeen, Amjad Jutt, Aslam Gara, Edwin Sahotra, Saud Saeed Iqbal, Arif Zafar, Abdullah Watto, Allah Ditta Watto, Rao Shujaat, Abdul Rahman Lodhi, Shahbaz Durani, Mirza Izhar and Professor Mubeena Farrukh among others.