“Today we pay tributes to her. The best way to do it is to defend and protect democracy and democratic institutions in the country and foil all conspiracies against it,” the beleaguered Zardari said in a statement.
Bhutto, twice-elected prime minister and wife of Zardari, was killed in a gun and suicide attack on December 27, 2007 in the garrison city of Rawalpindi after addressing an election rally.
“Let us on this day re-dedicate ourselves to the democratic mission of Shaheed (martyr) Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto whose life was dedicated to fighting dictatorship and those seeking to defame and dismantle democratic institutions,” the president said.
“I therefore urge all the democratic forces and the patriotic Pakistanis to foil all conspiracies against democracy and democratic institutions,” he said.
Pakistan is rife with conspiracy theories and Zardari also termed the assassination of Bhutto a conspiracy.
“Her assassination was a conspiracy to rid the world of its best weapon to combat international violent extremism. It was a conspiracy to rob Pakistan of its best hope to establish a fully functional democracy,” he said.
Zardari's remarks came despite denials of a military coup from the army chief and also from the Supreme Court top judge as he examined calls from the army and the opposition to probe the memo scandal last week.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani Saturday welcomed a statement by Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani ruling out a military takeover.
The military has carried out three coups in Pakistan and is considered the chief arbiter of power in the country of 174 million.
Last week, Gilani delivered an unprecedented tirade against the military and accused “conspirators” – whom he did not name – of plotting to bring down his government.
But Kayani dismissed those concerns, saying that the army “will continue to support the democratic process in the country”.
COMMENTS (14)
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And why should we pay tribute to Benazir Bhutto? Was there any less corruption during both of her governments? Reality check: Your wife signed the NRO and you inherited the PPP. Now you are Mr. 100% from Mr. 10% and we are unfortunate that you're our president - the worst among the worst.
what Zardari think of Pakistan’s Founding father the Quaid e Azam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLrsfdnsDrA
This guy can only talk-talk-& talk. The PPP has NOT done anything constructive during their rule-ALL their ministers talk , talk & talk. How many of them can claim any achievements to their credits?? They can not even run a small project-LOOK at whats happened to the Railways, PIA, Gas& Electriity, Floods prevention, Disaster Management??
Mr. Zardari, I dont think that you understand. YOU and your party members and the government is the problem. The PM and ministers think they are working for you, but they forget who is paying their salary. It is the people of Pakistan. If you think that criticism by people is wrong, have a look at PIA, Railways, Hajj scandal for starters. No electricity, no gas, no jobs.
If this is all you could manage then please have the guts to own up to your poor performance and step down so that someone else can try to fix it.
What two military dictators and the death of Mohtarma could not achieve, you have done effortlessly. You have destroyed PPPs name & reputation and I can reassure you that PPP can never recover from this setback. You cannot hide your poor performance behind ZAB and BBs sacrifises.
The biggest conspiracy in the recent past was the conspiracy to eliminate Benazir Bhutto.
No body talks about as who were the people who hatched conspiracy against Benazir Bhutto successfully when she returned home after more than eight long years of self exile.
It is time the facts of Memogate come out. If the government has nothing to hide it should cooperate with the Supreme Court and help in an early resolution of the issue.
memogate case is also a conspiracy agaist country
You talk of democracy when there is no democracy in your party. Democracy is not just being elected by bogus votes and rigged elections. It includes accountability. You government is full of incompetent and corrupt people. Stop giving big speeches and do something positive.
I hate PPP. Whenever they come to power, Pakistan's economy is destroyed. Most corrupt.
its sad
100% true. Every body knows who is always on toes to dismantle and discredit democratic institutes. Conspirators will fail if all democratic forces unite to defeat those anti-democratic forces.
.....Sir, are you talking about democracy as you see it ??