ISLAMABAD:
Co-Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari has reiterated his pledge to continue the fight against the militant and dictatorial mindset that is challenging the country today, as he prepared to observe the seventh anniversary of the October 18 attack on the welcome convoy of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The former president said while remembering those deceased from the tragic incident, we need to rededicate ourselves to fighting “new forms and manifestations of dictatorship” along with extremism, and one way to do so is to strengthen parliament.
“The struggle has not ended. A great threat today is from those who are seeking to assault democracy in the name of democracy itself... Parliament is our shield against dictatorship. Let us reiterate our resolve to strengthen the parliament,” he said in a message.
Zardari said his late wife returned to Pakistan despite threats because she pledged to save the country from the threats it faced by extremists and dictatorship, adding that “the enemies of democracy and Pakistan” cowardly attacked her caravan resulting in deaths of nearly two hundred people.
Presenting a tribute to those who were affected by the twin bombs that evening, Zardari said “on this day we salute the courage, devotion and loyalty of martyrs and fans of democracy who laid down their lives or were wounded while protecting Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. They have raised our hopes and steeled our determination.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2014.
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