PPP won’t allow misuse of religion-based laws: Zardari

Says minorities need to be integrated into mainstream

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI:

Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that his party would continue its struggle to ensure religion-based laws were not misused to stifle dissent or to prosecute minorities.

In a statement on the eve of PPP’s 49th Foundation Day, Zardari said it was the ideology of the party’s founder, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, which had opened the doors of political reform in the country’s tribal areas, terrorism was tackled head on and a massive poverty alleviation programme had been launched.



“I wish to reiterate that the party aims at making Pakistan a welfare driven state - a state in which the motivating force and rationale for policies would be the welfare of people,” Zardari said.

He added that the PPP, which is the main opposition party in the National Assembly, would also continue its struggle to ensure that religion-based laws were not misused to stifle dissent or to prosecute minorities, non-Muslim or otherwise.

His comments come days after a factory owned by an Ahmadi in Jhelum was looted and set on fire by an angry mob and the offices of a Christian cable television channel in Karachi was allegedly subject to arson.



Referring to the party’s foundation day, Zardari said it was an occasion to renew their pledge to empower the people, emancipate women, integrate the non-Muslim minorities into the mainstream and strengthen democratic institutions. He also paid tributes to those PPP workers who had sacrificed themselves to safeguard democracy.

PPP flexes its muscle in Karachi

The PPP kick-started its 49th Foundation Day celebrations a day early as it staged a rally in Karachi that wound its way through some of the areas where it enjoys strong support.

Attended by a large number of central and provincial leaders of the PPP and supporters, the rally started at Bilawal House in the afternoon before passing through Shireen Jinnah Colony, Kachi Para, Keamari, Native Jetty bridge, ICI Chowrangi, Mauripur Road, before culminating at Suparco Chowrangi. Throughout its journey, the rally saw jiyalas dancing to the tune of party songs.



PPP vice president Sherry Rehman, who was leading the rally, told supporters in Keamari that foundation day celebrations reminded them of the hardships party members had endured over the years in their struggle for democracy.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th,  2015.