Pakistan

Anti-terrorism: Zardari calls for paradigm shift

President says ‘we have to fight the mindset’ which took away the lives of Benazir, Taseer, Bhatti.

March 29, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said that the government did not want a clash of institutions and deemed that “democracy is the best revenge”.

Speaking at the 21st All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) Awards distribution ceremony at Awan-e-Sadr, he said, “We strengthened the institutions by giving more powers to the Parliament and we are willing to work and fight for a better democracy.”

The president said that the PPP did not take the path of aggression after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto because it could have threatened the institutions.

“I am here for a larger cause to fight the mindset — which is definitely going to affect our coming generations if not fought now,” the president said.

He said “we will have to take this challenge”. It is the mindset which took away Benazir Bhutto, Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti and thousands of Pakistanis. We are not against mardrassas but we are against the mindset.”

The president said the federation would file a reference in the Supreme Court to revisit the judgment of the “judicial murder” of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Pakistan Peoples Party has decided to get the case reopened, he added.

President Zardari said the first PPP government of Benazir Bhutto in 1988 had put the country on the road to democracy and freedom of the press. She lifted a ban on import of newsprint and made it free for everybody, he added.

The president asked the APNS to set up a body for rationalising the distribution of advertisements to the media.

Later, the President gave away awards to the APNS members, journalists, advertising agencies for achievements in their fields.

The president handed life-time achievement awards to senior members of APNS including Majid Nizami, Syed Fasih Iqbal, Sharif Farooq, Mustafa Sadiq, Mahmood ul Aziz, Masudah M. Ahmed, Prof S.B. Hassan.

APNS president Hameed Haroon presented address of welcome.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (1)

Najma Qaiser | 13 years ago | Reply After the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto the PPP still retains the populist politics of the Bhuttos. Zardari proved him a leader of charismatic appeal. Although After BB Shaheed PPP turned into a crowd of mourners yet Zardari decided to fulfill the dreams and ambitious of BB and in a short spam of rule, he proved him true heir of Bhuttos. He very keenly followed BB’s last campaign for a secular, liberal, democratic, peaceful and progressive Pakistan. In the leadership of Zardari the PPP is fully trying to create a liberal progressive pole against the religious right that wants to keep Pakistan as a hotbed of contending sectarian, medieval, terrorist outfits, which is at war with itself and the world around. I want to ask those, who constantly allege PPP for not working to materialize the dreams of BB that what else can be a better tribute than this to BB Shaheed.

Replying to X