Bilawal calls July 5 a Dark Day in nation’s history

PPP chairman labels Gen Zia as culprit of Constitution, Pakistani nation

KARACHI:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has termed July 5, 1977, as a black day in national history.

“This day will continue to remind us how a power-hungry dictator pushed the entire nation into the mire of extremism, terrorism, and the Kalashnikov and drug culture under the guise of religion,” he said, adding that the legacy of that dictator still lingers even after 46 years.

On July 5, 1977, the tin-pot dictator General Ziaul-Haq seized power by unconstitutionally overthrowing the government of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto – “the most popular leader and the first elected prime minister of Pakistan” -- and deprived the citizens of their basic rights.

According to a statement issued by Bilawal House Media Cell, the PPP chairman said in his message that Zia was a culprit of the Constitution and of the Pakistani nation.

He said that humanity will always be ashamed of the way civil and human rights were violated during the dictatorship of General Zia and the way atrocities were committed on those who demanded the restoration of democracy.

Bilawal said that the nation was well aware of the fact that a handful of people, who follow dictator Zia's thinking, were still busy making conspiracies against the people’s right to rule in their lust for power, but, he added: “failure is their destiny.”

“The era of dictators and puppets has become a thing of the past. Now there is only democracy in the present and future of Pakistan," he added.

The PPP chairman saluted the Jiyalas (party workers) who were flogged, and who endured the hardships of imprisonment and embraced martyrdom for the sake of democracy during the Zia regime.

He also vowed that his party will continue struggling with the same determination and courage to fulfil the mission of safeguarding the unanimous Constitution of 1973 and the parliamentary system of democracy and establishing a society based on equality “as given by Quaid e Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, just like Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was active and offered unmatched sacrifices throughout her life for this cause.”

APP