PPP renders supreme sacrifices for democracy: Gilani

LAHORE, Feb 18 (Pakistan Daily News)- Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said Wednesday that PPP had always rendered supreme sacrifices for restoration of democracy in Pakistan. He was addressing the PPP parliamentarians’ meeting at Governor House, while Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, all the federal ministers, PPP provincial ministers and MPAs were also present.
Gilani said that today was the Day of Democracy as on February 18 last year, democracy was restored in the country following supreme sacrifices by the PPP, whose great leader Benazir Bhutto Shaheed had laid even her life for this sacred cause. Other political forces also played their effective role in the struggle for restoration of democracy, he added.
The Prime Minister said PPP is the name of an ideology and symbol of the federation and it believes in people’s empowerment.
Benazir Bhutto’s martyrdom was the result of a conspiracy to destabilize democratic forces, he said and asserted that it was sagacity of the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who raised slogan of ‘Pakistan Khappe’ and safeguarded national integrity.
Asif Ali Zardari had united all the political forces and formed coalition governments at federal and provincial level after February general election, he said, adding that it was the democratic way as envisioned by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed.
The PPP had proved its worth as a federal party by electing prime minister from Punjab, though the party leadership could elect a member of Bhutto family or a person from Sindh, he said.
The Prime Minister said that Benazir Bhutto had revived democracy in Pakistan by sacrificing even her life. “Now we have to strengthen and promote democratic values by taking all the quarters concerned on board,” he said.