Daily Times

Former president, Asif Ali Zardari, on Tuesday, greeted the Muslims throughout the world on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

In his message, he stated, “The two-fold theme of Eidul Azha for the Muslims is: one, the willingness to sacrifice for a cause and two, the unity of the Muslims. Today, more than ever in the past, the Muslims need to sacrifice their ego to attain the unity of purpose and unity of action”.

“I greet the Muslims, throughout the world in general and of Pakistan in particular, on this auspicious occasion”, he said.

Coming in the wake of the general elections in the country, the Eidul Azha, this year, underscores the need for addressing a new fault line of the state and the society, he added. He continued, “This new fault line has two parallel streams; one, the threat to the unity of people who feel that their mandate has been stolen and two, the bloated ego and arrogance of some who like to imagine that they have been genuinely empowered by the people”.

There is an urgent need to sacrifice the bloated ego to help unite the people for a purpose and a cause that is truly national and, “this will also be in accordance with the two-fold theme of Eidul Azha celebrations,” he said.

The former president also urged the people to remember, amidst Eid festivities, those who are deprived of the most basic needs of life due to poverty and share the bounties with them. He said that the message of Islam is the message of social justice and we have an obligation to our community through which we attain a higher purpose in life.

Published in Daily Times, August 22^nd 2018.