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Strong democracy a lasting tribute to Benazir: Zardari

* President’s written message calls for unity among Pakistanis to achieve slain prime minister’s objectives

LONDON: President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has said consolidating and strengthening democracy will be a lasting respect and honour to the memory of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

In his message read out at a memorial meeting organised by the PPP Labour Wing UK in South West London, the president called for unity to achieve the objectives for which the former prime minister laid down her life.

He said Benazir was a beacon of hope for the downtrodden and oppressed sections of society. Benazir followed the footsteps of her illustrious father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in raising her voice against military dictatorship and fighting for the rights of the common man, his dignity and for democracy, Zardari said.

He called the attack on Benazir not only an assault against an individual but against national security, the emancipation from military rule and the efforts to restore democracy in Pakistan.

He said that Benazir firmly believed that when dictatorship took roots, it gave rise to militarism and that in turn became a source of huge disappointment for the people and fanned religious extremism.

Zardari appealed to all democratic forces to unite against those propagating extremism and militancy. He lauded the services rendered by party activists and others in the struggle for democracy alongside Benazir and who in the process were martyred, incarcerated, deported, injured or disabled.

Probe commission: The United Nations (UN) Probe Commission tasked with investigating Benazir’s assassination will commence its work as soon as the team is constituted and those responsible for her murder will face severe punishment, PPP Secretary General Jahangir Badar stated at the memorial meeting.

Badar broke his journey in London while heading home from New York where he visited the UN headquarters on the occasion of the UN Humanitarian Award being presented to Benazir. Badar told the gathering about his meeting with the officials who informed him that the commission would commence its work as soon as the UN secretary general constituted the Probe Committee.

To pay lasting tributes to her, Badar said it had been decided to establish a Benazir Bhutto International Centre for Diplomacy to train and hone the skills of those aspiring to be future politicians.

A number of PPP activists and workers also spoke at the memorial. app

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