ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Monday that his party would continue to work for strengthening of democratic practices in the country He was speaking to the media after taking oath as a member of the National Assembly. “The sacrifices given by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and thousands of party workers teach us to defend democracy and to stand by it,” he said, adding that he would struggle for the rights of the people and democracy. In his greetings to the nation on the occasion of the Independence Day, Bilawal said that there was a need to strive for the country dreamt by the founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The PPP chairman said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto pursued the vision of Quaid-e-Azam in their struggle for an egalitarian and democratic country, and eventually laid down their lives to uphold those principles. “Extremism and terrorism are two major diseases ailing our society. Both have to be completely routed out to put Pakistan on the path of peace, progress and prosperity,” he said, adding, “as a nation, we have to protect and promote our core values, which have been eroded by those seeking chaos and darkness.” Bilawal further said that only a democratic order and constitutionalism could strengthen the nation and parliamentary supremacy needed to be respected as the institution represented the will of the people. Former president Asif Ali Zardari also addressed the media after the inaugural NA session. He said that the workers of PPP were heirs to a great legacy. He said that he was proud of the party workers who were without a match in Pakistani politics. “No other party can claim to have as devoted, dedicated and fearless workers as the PPP,” he said, adding that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto held deep compassion for the downtrodden masses. The former president pledged to make Pakistan a democratic, progressive, liberal and welfare oriented country. “If Pakistan has to progress as a modern state, it must be driven by welfare of the people and not haunted by a sense of fear and paranoia,” he said in a statement released later in the day. Published in Daily Times, August 14th 2018.