PPP workers always sacrificed for democracy: Rabbani, Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani said it is unfortunate that even today, Article 1 of the Constitution, 1973, which declared Pakistan the Federal Republic, the parliamentary form of government, is being questioned.

“The people of Pakistan are committed to carrying on their relentless struggle to protect the Constitution, democratic system and the way of life that Constitution prescribes,” he said on Tuesday, the 5th of July when the elected government of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown by General Zialul Haq, imposing martial law.

He said the Peoples Party workers were jailed, flogged, tortured, and hanged by the military regime for favouring democracy and federalism.

Rabbani said, “Today, 45-year ago, a democratically-elected prime minister was removed from office by the military in a conspiracy hatched by international imperialists and the reactionary forces in Pakistan."

APP adds: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said July 5th was the darkest day in the history of the country as on the same day a dictator had overthrown an elected democratic government and derailed the development of the country in 1977. In his message on July 5th, he said the dictatorial regime of General Zia took fascist measures after toppling the elected government in 1977.

Kaira said, "Pakistan Peoples Party leaders remain attached to Quaid-e-Awam's ideology and philosophy in most difficult circumstances. Today, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is in the field with the same knowledge."

He added that during the dictatorship regime of General Zia, the democracy activists were kept in jails and were inflicted with various tortures. "The dream of improving the lives of the country's poor, laborers, beggars and middle class will come true. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is trying to materialise this dream of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto," Kaira said.