Generals are afraid of me, says Benazir

Opposition leader and chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto electrified Lahore on Monday night with a rousing speech at a PPP rally in the Punjab capital that brought a dying election alive.

"The generals are afraid of me, that's why they won't let me come back to Pakistan," Benazir said, sparking thunderous cries of "prime minister Benazir! prime minister Benazir!"

Becoming the first major political leader in Pakistan, with the exception of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's Altaf Hussain, to address a large rally via satellite, Benazir brought the massive gathering at the Minar-e-Pakistan, on the grounds of Lahore's ancient walled city, alongside the pink-stoned 16th century Badshahi mosque to their feet with her emotional speech.

While police had originally seized satellite equipment intended to relay Benazir's address from London to the tens of thousands of party workers gathered for what was the first impressive political rally in Lahore, this was released after 10pm and the speech permitted.

"The authorities could see the size of the crowd and did not want to create a law and order situation by denying people the right to hear their leader," PPP Punjab secretary-general Qasim Zia said.

Sources in Islamabad, meanwhile, maintain that the federal government decided to allow the rally to avoid "unfavourable international media attention".

Benazir's 55-minute address, displayed on a giant screen set up at the venue, began close to midnight.

As she flickered on to the screen seated in a London studio wearing her trademark white dupatta over her head and with a portrait of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Pakistan flag and the PPP tri-colour prominently displayed, the gathering came alive.

The songs, dances and drama associated with PPP rallies was already visible, and was thrown in to a heightened gear as Benazir began her speech in Urdu.

The speech too was hard-hitting, delighting the audience of PPP supporters. Benazir demanded an inquiry against the military "for making and breaking political parties" in order to "prolong its rule and gain desired results in the polls".

She lashed out at the government for the arrest of PPP leaders, the continued detention of her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, and her own ouster from politics, saying "But I will be with you on October 10th when you vote for the 'arrow', even if I cannot be with you in person."

Benazir also called on people to "vote against the military" and said their "misadventure in Kabul" had caused irreparable losses to Pakistan.

She also said "real accountability" meant holding the killers of the World Trade Centre victims, as well as those who murdered thousands of Afghans, responsible for their actions.

Benazir also maintained, in remarks aimed at international audiences, that she was "opposed to the Kargil policy" and that she wished to tell those who called her a 'security risk' that the plan she wished to set in place was one of "peace within and without".

She also defended the past record of politicians, and said it was the "generals who had played the most despicable role in the history of Pakistan". She also demanded a disbanding of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) and said a 'show piece election' was being staged.

However, she stressed that the PPP was "still capable of winning this election despite the government actions, because we stand with the wronged people of this country".

The PPP leader also said the struggle for democracy would continue after the polls, alongside the Pakistan Muslim League of Nawaz Sharif.

Benazir's hard-hitting speech, which in fact put an end to any real chances of a reconciliation with the regime, played a part in bringing to life what has been a rather stale election campaign so far.

As people returned from the rally, well into yesterday morning, PPP workers staged spontaneous dances along roadsides. On Tuesday, too, PPP flags and banners fluttered across the city and the parties campaign suddenly seemed to have been injected with a new life. This was in contrast to the campaigns of most other parties, which remained unimpressive.

The PPP is predicting a "massive revival" in Lahore, though more neutral estimates suggest it could take back one or two of the seats it lost tot he PML-N, which swept all nine Lahore seats in the 1997 polls.

The PPP rally was also addressed by PPP Parliamentarian leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who emphasised that the PPP would "be responsible for ensuring the welfare of people" and would after October 10 usher in "a new era of public rule".

Other party leaders, including Naveed Chaudhry, Professor Ejazul Hassan, Qasim Zia and Aitezaz Ahsan also addressed the rally and joined the workers in raising the traditional slogans of the PPP, predicting victory for the party.