Zardari pledges to follow Benazir's 'road map' for democratic Pakistan
27 December, 2013
ISLAMABAD: In his message on the sixth death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, former president Asif Ali Zardari has asked democratic forces and PPP workers to reiterate their commitment to the values their slain leader had stood and fought for.
"Today we pay homage to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and all those who have laid down their lives with her and suffered untold miseries for the cause," Zardari said.
"Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir stood for the emancipation of the downtrodden and marginalised sections of society, for women empowerment and for fighting against extremist and militant mindset," he said.
"Let us on this day take a leaf from her life and stand up to militants and extremists and not allow them to force their ideology through force," he added.
The former president said that days before her assassination Benazir had asked people to stand up to extremism, dictatorship and to banish poverty and ignorance.
"Her call is a clear roadmap for making Pakistan a modern and pluralistic state and today we pledge to follow that road map."
He said that following in her footsteps the PPP would continue strengthening democracy, extricating the downtrodden people from poverty and degradation and fighting militancy and extremism. With the support of the workers, the party would continue its forward march and grow from strength to strength, he said.
Zardari also paid tributes to those who have laid down their lives or suffered in the course of democratic struggle and in fighting the militants.
"Let us also remember our martyrs of democracy who have laid down their lives and who suffered exile, imprisonment and execution to end tyranny and dictatorship so that the nation lives and democracy flourishes. Democracy has survived and flourished and dictatorship has not been able to take roots in the country because of their sacrifices. We salute them all," Zardari said.
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