02 March 2004	Tuesday	10 Muharram 1425

ISLAMABAD, March 1: Former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have urged the people to remember the sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companion for upholding truth, and forge unity among their ranks.

In her message on Yom-i-Ashur, PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto said Hazrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be pleased with him) sacrificed his own life and the lives of his dearest family members and faithful followers on this day for the cause of truth and justice to resist oppression and tyranny.

"This supreme sacrifice offered by Imam Hussain teaches us that tyranny, oppression and falsehood must be resisted no matter how heavy are the odds. "As we pay homage to the great martyrs of Karbala and reflect on the lessons of their supreme sacrifice today, we must also look inwardly and do some soul searching.

Today, the need for learning a lesson from the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain is even greater because tyranny and oppression continue to stark the land in different forms and manifestations.

"On this day, therefore, we reiterate our resolve that no matter what the odds, we shall neither submit before tyranny and injustice nor let evil have its way."

The PPP chairperson said: "On this day, I also urge my countrymen to rise above sectarianism, forge unity among their ranks and dissociate themselves from all those elements who are fanning sectarianism and anarchy.

I also urge the countrymen to challenge and drive out those who, behind the facade of seeking to curb extremism and terrorism, are only conspiring to perpetuate their illegal hold on power."

In his message released here on Monday, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif said the supreme sacrifice offered by Hazrat Imam Hussain led to revival of Islam. He said the unmatched character of the Imam and his 72 followers was an eternal inspiration for all truth lovers. He quoted the famous verse of Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar, who described the martyrdom of Imam Hussain as Yazid's death.

Mr Sharif said a conspiracy was afoot to confront the Muslims with another Karbala, and, like before, the "insiders", not the "aliens", were playing the main role. Their lust for power, self-aggrandizement, deviation from the eternal Islamic principles have blinded them.

He expressed the confidencethat the Ummat would follow the teachings of Imam Hussain and fight against every Yazid of the time. The party chairman, Raja Zafarul Haq, President Mohammed Shahbaz Sharif, acting president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, acting parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Senate parliamentary leader Mohammed Ishaq Dar, secretary-general Saranjam Zamindar and central information secretary Mohammed Siddiqueul Farooque have also paid tribute to Hazrat Imam Hussain in their Ashura messages.