PPP observes ‘Black Day’ against 1977 military coup

Rawalpindi

On the special directions of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP workers of Rawalpindi Chaklala Cantt, like other parts of the country, observed July 5 as ‘Black Day’ to condemn the toppling of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s democratic government through a military coup in 1977.

The workers, in a special ceremony held here in PPP Secretariat Aman House, Peshawar Road, paid rich tributes to their martyred leader and expressed their abhorrence and detestation with military dictatorship of General Zia by wearing black strips on arms.

The ceremony was chaired by a senior PPP local leader Malik Mohammad Siddique and ex-deputy secretary public relations PPP Punjab Haji Mohammad Gulzar Awan was the chief guest.

Senior ‘Jialas’ who rendered everlasting sacrifices for PPP during the hard days including Gul Bahader Khan, Malik Javed Iqbal Advocate, Shakeel Awan, Khalid Jiala, Baji Khurshid and others were also present on the occasion.

The speakers said that July 5 shall remain a black day in our history. On this black day General Zia ul Haq crumpled the hopes and aspirations of the nation by dismissing the public mandate and sowed the seeds of all the evils which continues to haunt the people till now, they added.

Haji Mohammad Gulzar Awan and Malik Mohammad Siddique said our great leader laid down his life for the cause of democracy and following his footprint PPP had always struggled for democracy, supremacy of law and the constitution.

Haji Mohammad Gulzar Awan said 40 years ago, General Zia overthrown the Z A Bhutto’s elected government and the military dictator went on to rule the country for 11 years till his demise in a plane crash on August 17, 1988. “During this black era, the nation suffered a lot and introduced with the evils which are still destroying our country”, he mentioned.

He said the present rulers were hatched by the same general and dictatorial regime who did not admit the supremacy of law. PPP still struggling against the mind-set of Zia whose followers are playing with the fate of the nation.

Malik Mohammad Siddique and other speakers said today the followers of Zia playing havoc with national institutions and are setting the precedents which shall deteriorate the democratic values in the days to come. They said that the judgment of JIT is about to come and smelling the possible verdict, PML-N leaders and workers criticising the courts, JIT, political parties and state institutions which is very harmful for the country. The workers of PPP also expressed faith on their present leadership and sought solution to their specific concerns about PPP Rawalpindi Chaklala Cantonment body.