25 December 2004	Saturday	12 Ziqa'ad 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: Pakistan People's Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has urged the people to forge unity to reclaim their democratic and political rights.

The former prime minister in a message issued here on Friday felicitated the nation on the Quaid's birth anniversary and said: "On this auspicious occasion I wish to greet the entire Pakistani nation."

"The Quaid's birthday, indeed, is a day of re-dedication to the ideals and principles of the father of the nation. It also is a day of introspection and reflection to pause and ponder as to what steps we can take to restore the ideals and principles for which the Quaid created this homeland of ours," she said.

She said that the Quaid stood for constitutionalism, rule of law, respect for human rights, tolerance, pluralism and honouring the people's mandate. "It is a sad thought that on the Quaid's birthday falling this year, his ideal of constitutionalism has been negated by the 17th Amendment.

"Manipulating elections, factionalizing political parties, refusing to appoint a leader of the opposition in the Senate, not appointing the majority Opposition as opposition leader in the National Assembly, imprisoning persons on political grounds or exiling them is a departure from the high ideals that led to the vigour and vitality of the Muslims of the subcontinent.

That vigour gave the strength to face colonialism and carve out an independent Nation state called Pakistan." She said that it was the "dream of the PPP to reclaim that spirit of strength and unleash the creative power of the people through freedom, justice, the rule of law and an end to terrorism and violence".

The PPP chairperson said that the Quaid stood for equality before law. "The selective process of accountability was contrary to the vision of Pakistan's founding Father as was the promulgation of special laws with retrospective effect and special courts.

As a barrister and a man dedicated to legal values, Quaid-i-Azam would be appalled to see the parallel judiciary now in force in the homeland he created." The former Prime Minister called upon the people of the four federating units of Pakistan to unite to reclaim the values that the Quaid-i-Azam bequeathed to the Nation as his heritage.