PPP to observe ‘black day’ today

Gen Zia declared martial on July 5, 1977, dismissing the government of the then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will observe the 43rd anniversary of the imposition of martial law in the country by the then army chief Gen Ziaul Haq as a ‘black day’ on Sunday (today), the party’s secretary general, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, said on Saturday.

Gen Zia declared martial in the country on July 5, 1977, dismissing the government of the then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and dissolving parliament. Bukhari said the PPP would observe ‘black day’ against violation of the Constitution.

PPP activists would hoist black flags at their homes, he said in a statement. On this day, the party would renew its pledge to remain steadfast on the democratic principles of rule of the Constitution and empowerment of parliament.