Pindi all set to observe July 5 as black day against Zia rule

Daily Times

JULY 5TH,BLACK DAY IN THE HISTORY OF PAKISTAN

The local leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has finalised arrangements to observe July 5 as a black day in protest of the infamous dictatorial rule of Ziaul Haq which began on the day in 1977. The strongman had toppled the democratically elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Zia, after ousting Bhuttos, stayed in power for eleven years despite promising to hold general elections within 90 days. Rawalpindi PPP President Amir Fida Paracha told APP that the party workers would gather at Liaquat Bagh from across the district to participate in the demonstration to reiterate their commitment to the cause of democracy and express hatred against non-democratic forces. Pakistan Baitul Maal Managing Director Zammurd Khan said the PPP rendered unmatched sacrifices to strengthen democracy in the country and the workers would follow footprints of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto under the dynamic leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari. PPP Central Executive Committee Member Qazi Sultan Mehmood, who remained in jail for around four years during the Zia regime, termed the July 5 the darkest day in history of the country as a large number of democracy-loving people were sent behind the bars, gallows and subjected to public flogging. But they did not bow before the forces of tyranny. He asserted that Zia introduced the Kalashnikov and drug culture in the country, besides fanning sectarianism and “now we being the nation are facing a number of challenges at national and international fronts due to the policies adopted during the Zia era. What we are facing today is all the result of the seed sowed by Zia”.