1977 coup: PPP observes black day to mark July 5 takeover

Civil society, parties urged to sign new charter; move can thwart coups in future.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) observed 5 July as a “black day” against martial law imposed by General Ziaul Haq in 1977.

The Peoples Legal Forum organised a seminar at the Lahore High Court where former Punjab governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa and PPP Punjab general secretary Tanvir Ashraf Kaira highlighted the sacrifices of the PPP leadership and workers for the cause of democracy.

Another programme was organised by the PPP Workers’ Wing at the Lahore Press Club.

Charter for democracy

Speakers expressed anguish over attempts to undermine the democratic system at a discussion held on Saturday to mark the military coup staged by General Ziaul Haq in 1977.

The panel recommended that people should rise to the challenge and oppose any anti-democratic actions. Political parties and members of the civil society were asked to sign a new charter for democracy to prevent any future military takeovers in Pakistan.

“We should bring changes in the electoral system to pave the way for a truly representative parliament,” said Karamat Ali, chief executive of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), which organized the event.

Calling the current electoral system “a legacy of the colonial period”, he said that the system only permits members of the upper class to be elected in the legislative assemblies.

Senior political leader and General Secretary of Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) BM Kutty said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made a mistake by removing the democratically-elected government of National Awami Party (NAP) in 1973.

According to the senior political leader, Mir Ghaus Buksh Bizenjo, who helped draft the 1973 Constitution, should not have been arrested after the passage of the constitution.

Dr Shahida Rahmani MNA said that overthrow of the democratically elected government in 1977 infringed on human rights. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto struggled for the rights of the poor and the military takeover sabotaged this mission.

Mass demonstration

PPP workers staged a demonstration against the dismissal of elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1977.

Dozens of workers from the People’s Lawyer Forum and People’s Students Federation participated in the demonstrations at Katchehry Chowk.

Information Secretary Khawaja Rizwan Aalam said that Bhutto was a dynamic leader who made the country’s defence strong by initiating a nuclear programme. He added that the PPP would continue to play its role to strengthen democracy in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2014.