PPP UK pays tribute to ZA Bhutto

LONDON: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) UK has paid rich tributes to the services of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and condemned as Black Day the 5th July when a coup was staged by Gen Ziaul Haq.

Senior leadership attended the live event from Pakistan. Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said that 1977 the dictator to stop the democratic process in the country toppled Bhutto’s government and that Zia was afraid of Bhutto’s popularity.

Dictatorships are a menace and feed terrorism and extremism, he said adding that the PPP was committed to protect democracy in the country and to helping the supremacy of parliament.

Saeed Ghani said that July 5, 1977 would be considered a black day in history and that even today followers of Ziaul Haq are helping destroy national institutions and damaging the democratic process. He said: “The PPP is the only party that will defend Pakistan and democracy as its leadership has given numerous sacrifices to strengthen democracy in the country.”

Chaudhary Manzoor said Bhutto sacrificed his life for democracy and the masses but refused to bow to retrogressive and anti-democratic forces. He said history had judged Zia as a usurper and Bhutto had made the ultimate sacrifice for empowering the people of Pakistan. “He has become immortal…that is the justice of history.”

Sharmila Farooqi said that 5 July 1977 should remain a black-day in Pakistan's history because the hopes and aspirations of our nation were crushed by a dictator who remains the root of every evil, which continues to haunt the people.

Faisal Karim Kundi said the progressive and developing Pakistan came to a halt when Zia imposed his military rule by toppling the democratic government of Shaheed Bhutto. No one is here to take the name of Zia but Bhutto still lives in the hearts of millions of Pakistanis and people mark 5th July as black day every year.

President PPP UK Mohsin Bari said PPP has been facing challenges and threats but at the same these difficulties contribute to making it better and stronger than before. Shaheed Bhutto loved the downtrodden, poverty stricken people and that was why PPP gained nationwide popularity but dictators always created hurdles in his way and hanged him for the only reason that he supported the poor.