President terms July 5 black day

Terming July 5 a black day, President Asif Zardari urged the nation to strive for preservation and promotion of democracy and the rule of law.
In a message, the president denounced the abrogation of the constitution by a dictator 36 years ago and asked the people to strengthen democracy so that the country continues to progress and prosper.
He said July 5, 1977 was the day when a dictator usurped political power through brute force, exploited religion, destroyed the constitution and state institutions and pushed the country to the abyss of social and political destruction.
He said the aftermath of the day starkly reminds us how one dictator spawned extremists for his political survival and how another exploited the same extremists for promoting his political agenda.
“Indeed the nation is still reeling under the impact of the dictatorial takeover on this dark day,” he said.
President Zardari said sectarianism, religious extremism and private jihad were deliberately promoted by the usurper to create an artificial constituency for perpetuating his rule as a reign of terror was let loose. He said the legacy of the dictatorship has unfortunately struck this land repeatedly.
“We need to clearly understand this mechanics of dictatorship in the country to be better able to contain forces of militancy and terrorism.”
He said the democratic ethos of the people cannot be suppressed through brute force and said it was owing to the ethos of the people that the constitution has largely been restored and a historic democratic transition taken place in Pakistan.
The president termed it a manifestation of the democratic yearning of the people that strident calls were made for holding accountable those who abrogated or suspended the constitution, and their collaborators.
“In the fullness of time the wheels of justice grind exceeding small. Indeed with the naming and shaming in public of those who abrogated the Constitution and their collaborators, the grinding has already begun,” the president said.
The president said history bears witness that while “tin-pot dictators may strut along the stage pretending to be the saviors they are eventually punished by the people and history with a vengeance”.
The president also paid homage to the martyrs of democracy and lauded those who suffered and sacrificed during that black period of national history and said, “They suffered so that the future generations may live in peace and honour.”
“The democracy loving people salute Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto and all those who gave their lives during the period of tyranny and kept alive the flame of democracy despite use of state force for repression.”
“On the anniversary of this dark day let us determine to strive for the preservation and promotion of democracy and the rule of law so that our people continue to march onto the road of progress and prosperity with hope and opportunity for everyone,” the president said.