Daily Times

Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has termed July 5, 1977, as the most shameful and darkest day in the history of Pakistan.

In his message to the nation, Bilawal said that the people’s elected government and first directly elected prime minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ousted by the elements who had either vanished into mid-air or are living a shameful life.

“The way all the characters involved in it met their fate proved that crime and sin have no legacy. Still, every illegitimate ruler of the time, like today’s puppet, fails to grasp and realise this universal reality,” Bilawal said.

The PPP chairman said that the constitution was suspended on July 5, 1977, wrapping the democracy, suspending all the civil rights and forbidding the process of development and hoisting the colours of the authoritarianism in all directions.

He said that just by promoting and protecting the dictator’s vested interests, the foundation of dictatorial rules was laid through inventing corruption and unleashing intimidation.

“Dictators have been interested in petty personal gains developing hotbeds of intolerance and extremism,” he added.

Bilawal said that even today, after four decades, the scourge of July 5, 1977, is not leaving the Pakistani nation behind and democracy is still in its teething stage, the ground for implementation of provincial autonomy is narrow, the poor are at the mercy of plagues and locusts, the swords of unemployment hanging over the heads of the workers, the bread of two times, justice is expensive and poor is getting poorer by each passing day.

He said that the present puppet regime is the culmination of the crime of July 5, 1977, and at the same time, now this chapter in Pakistan is about to be closed forever.

He said that the day is not far when the people’s right to sovereignty and the use of religious extremism, militancy, sectarianism and linguistics as weapons in government buildings to perpetuate their aggressive rule will be removed in the same way that many racist and hate-mongering societies today are tearing down statues of fake greats.

Bilawal said that PPP has made unparalleled struggle and eternal sacrifices for the constitution and democracy of the country, this struggle will continue till the final victory of the people.

On July 5, 1977, the then army chief General Zia-ul-Haq imposed martial law across the country, overthrowing the elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Zia promised to hold elections within three months of seizing power. However, that promise came true several years later and after Bhutto was hanged.