Address at the Peshawar Airport on March 2, 1973

President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto told a mammoth airport crowd that he wanted the Opposition to cooperate in the supreme task of giving to the country a Constitution without which it could neither develop democratic institutions nor achieve political stability.

He said a constitution was the basic law round which the structure of state revolved and any willful obstruction in its framing was doing no good to the country.

It was for this reason, he said, that the constitutional accord was reached last October, primarily with a view to seeing that there was no hitch or delay in the fulfillment of this prime task.

Amid cheers, he told the large crowd that democracy was the main aim of the PPP and for democracy the party had launched a struggle against dictatorial regimes of the past.

He said his party’s prime purpose was to see peace and prosperity come to the country. “We will succeed in this as you will see,” he said,.

Turning to Afghanistan, he said he wanted to have the best of relations with that country.

“Friendship with that country is to be unqualified and enduring, more because she is our nearest neighbour. We have borders with them for hundreds of miles and even otherwise, too, our interests interact.”

Continuing, he said good relations with Afghanistan had always been uppermost in his mind. When in 1964 he agreed to take the portfolio of Foreign Minister his one pre-condition was total normalization of relations with Afghanistan at a time when there had prevailed complete estrangement between the two countries.

In pursuance of this objective, he went to Teheran and, thanks to the good offices of the Shahanshah, normalcy was restored. He said the happiness of Afghans was our happiness and their misfortunes were our sorrow.

The President said that he did not totally disagree with those who cried for “unalloyed democracy” in the country. His only qualification to this was that such a democracy should be established within the four corners of that which ensured the integrity of the country. Subject to this qualification, he was all out for bringing in a system running through which, all along, would be the will of the people.

The President said agreement had been reached on the principles of the Constitution which could now be framed speedily. The question of provincial autonomy had also been decided and nothing had been left to hinder the process of Constitution-making.

He said they wanted pure democracy in the country, but at the same time the integrity of the country should not suffer.

The President said the steps taken by the Central Government were in no way undemocratic. He had asked the NWFP Governor to ensure peace in the Province so tat it could progress. The people were the real source of their strength.

He said that the destiny of the nation was in the hands of the people and any conspiracy against the country would be crushed with the power of the people.

He said that the objective for which great sacrifices had been made and for the realization of which this country was established would be achieved.

The President said that for too long the country had been faced with crises. He said his Government was capable of crushing all conspiracies because it had the support of the people. No one would be able to harm the country as it existed today. In fact, it would march forward towards progress and prosperity. “This is our last decision,” he told the cheering crowd.