Bilawal Bhutto vows to repeal ‘black laws’

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Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Patron-in-Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday signed a pledge of his party, calling for no compromise on people’s rights of liberty, equality, non-discrimination, assembly and speech, and vowed to repeal all “black laws” in the constitution.

Addressing the ceremony of adoption and signing of the human rights pledge by the PPP Human Rights Cell at Chief Minister’s House to mark the International Human Rights Day, Bilawal vowed to repeal all laws in the constitution which were discriminatory against religious minorities of the country. He directed PPP Sindh President and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali to form a ministry at the provincial level that would help safeguard human rights. He said we have laws against hate speech and violence on the basis of religion or sect, and the provincial government should ensure their implementation.

The PPP leader also read out the 18-point pledge which highlights PPP’s intention to make Pakistan a place where all citizens have equal opportunity to succeed, where access to quality education and healthcare is available to all; where discrimination based on race, religion, gender, class, caste and creed is not practised, no one is killed and injured or kidnapped. “The pledge also characterized PPP’s Pakistan, where strongest and weakest have the same access to justice, quality, education and affordable healthcare, where the poorest and the richest will have the same right to prosper, where privatisation of common interest will not become personalisation of wealth, where nature’s bounty shall be distributed to each according to his merit and others.” Addressing the ceremony, the Sindh chief minister said that PPP leaders had always struggled for the poor people of the country. He said Bhutto had termed the PPP party of the poor and Benazir Bhutto had made hectic struggle for the welfare of people in the country but she was martyred. “BB’s martyrdom caused chaos in the country but at that time PPP’s Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari raised the slogan of long live Pakistan in order to safeguard the country and interests of the common man.”

The chief minister said that Zardari introduced new dimension to politics with his reconciliation policy in which no action was taken against political rivals and they were taken into confidence on every issue. He hoped that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would continue to follow the footsteps of his forefathers. Speaking on the occasion, PPP Human Rights Cell Coordinator and Member of National Assembly Nafisa Shah said that the PPP had empowered people in the country and presence of Fundamental Rights Act in 1973 Constitution was a proof that PPP had always worked for the welfare of humanity, without any discrimination.

“Human Rights Cell was the vision of PPP’s martyred leader Benazir Bhutto and now her son will supervise the matters of the cell,” she said. Other people, including PPP Sindh General Secretary Taj Haider and members of the human rights cell also addressed the ceremony. Several PPP leaders, including Minister for Social Welfare Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani, Coordinator to CM on Human Rights Nadia Gabol and coordinator to CM on Culture Sharmila Farooqui, were also present at the ceremony.