Pakistan - (Pig)Zia’s regime darkest chapter of country’s history: minister

July 5 has been marked as one of the darkest days in the country’s history as dictator General Ziaul Haq overthrew the democratically-elected government of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and dragged the country into an unending agony, chaos, usurpation and bloodshed.

These views were expressed by Sindh Information, Transport and Mass Transit, Labour and Human Resources Minister Nasir Shah on Tuesday.

While the masses are observing the 40th anniversary of the black day, the minister said, they should not forget that Zia was the one who introduced the Kalashnikov culture, sown the seeds of extremism and terrorism only to sustain his dictatorial regime.

The provincial minister, while applauding the role of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in preserving democratic values, said that sapling of democracy planted and nourished by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was uprooted by a military dictator abetted by the extremist elements and their foreign masters.

General Zia and his accomplice went into the dark pages of history always haunting the democratic nations.

“The scourge of extremism, terrorism, drug addiction, poverty and poor economy are all chickened out from the eggs laid by the dictatorship on July 05, 1977,” he added.

Nasir Shah paid rich tributes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and thousands of party workers for their valiant and continuous fight against the dictatorial regimes eventually, sacrificing their lives.

He said that both Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto gave nuclear programme, the base of heavy industries, including heavy mechanical complex, Pakistan Steel, Port Qasim, missile programmes but they were eliminated by anti-state elements fearing the rise of a Muslim nation with plural and egalitarian values.

The minister said best tribute to the martyrs of democracy and human rights is to support the operation against terrorists who are the direct products of General Zia and his regime and pose a serious threat to our country and nation.

He assured the democratic forces that his party will always stand like an iron wall against the dictatorial forces and continue its legacy of being in the forefront for protection and safeguarding the democratic system and human rights.