ISLAMABAD, July 5: Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday termed July 5 as black day in the history of Pakistan.

In a message on the occasion, Ms Bhutto said that the Charter of Democracy would end the dictatorship forever.

Ms Bhutto said, “July 5 is a black day in the history of Pakistan. It was on this day in 1977 when a military dictator struck in the middle of the night to overthrow a democratic and popularly elected government.

“What followed thereafter is a sordid and unfortunate tale of destruction of democratic state institutions, decimation of the judiciary, usurpation of fundamental rights and disenfranchisement of the people of Pakistan,” she added.

Ms Bhutto said, “A reign of terror was let loose, innocent people were flogged and hanged merely for political dissent and ethnicity and sectarianism were deliberately promoted by the usurper to create an artificial constituency for perpetuating his rule. The ugly legacy of the military dictatorship culminated in a society where drugs and guns flourished.”

Ms Bhutto said the military dictatorship, believing in divide and rule, created ethnic and sectarian parties to spread bloodshed and fear in the country. “Corruption flourished with the creation of dollar generals who exploited the Soviet presence in Afghanistan to line their own pockets. Siachen Glacier was lost while the dictator watched cricket and films,” she said.

The dictatorship, she said, promoted and patronised the most extreme religious groups that went on to form Taliban and Al Qaeda and plunged the world into a most dangerous situation with suspicion against Muslims rising globally. “It was a brutal, barbaric period in the history of Pakistan, which will forever be a black chapter to warn future generations of the ills of military intervention,” she said.

Ms Bhutto said, “The dictator did a great disservice to religion when he exploited the fair name of Islam to provide a cover for some of the most oppressive measures of the usurper.