LARKANA: Activists of Pakistan Peoples Party and PPP-SB took out rallies and held demonstrations across the province on Sunday to observe July 5 as a ‘Black Day’, the day when Gen Ziaul Haq overthrew democratically elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and imposed martial law.

In Larkana, PPP and PPP-SB workers organised separate gatherings where they condemned the general for overthrowing Bhutto’s government. The midnight military coup on July 5, 1977, would always be remembered in the history of Pakistan as a black day when the unanimously passed constitution of 1973 was trampled upon, they said.

PPP leaders and workers led by Khair Mohammad Shaikh, Abdul Fatah Bhutto and Mazhar Junejo who were wearing black armbands held a demonstration in the Kennedy Market where the leaders said the fundamental human rights were suspended in the wake of martial law when the very people who had taken an oath to protect the country’s constitution turned against it.

Leaders of PPP-SB Ghulam Haidar Narejo, Mukhtair Bhutto and Waryam Channa said at a gathering at Al-Murtaza House that after having removed Z.A Bhutto’s government, Gen Zia ruled the country at gunpoint for 11 years and enforced his own laws to abolish democracy.

They said the PPP-SB workers would continue to fight for democracy till the end of their lives and criticised the PPP government for massive corruption and damaging institutions. They called for tightening the noose round the necks of corrupt officials.

In Hyderabad, the PPP local chapter held a programme at the zila council office to observe black day against the overthrowing of PPP-led government on July 5, 1977.

PPP district president Zahid Ali Bhurgari said at the gathering the dictator planned to eliminate democracy by imposing martial law and sending an elected premier to the gallows but history proved him wrong when Bhutto’s daughter reclaimed the premiership twice with the help of people’s power.

He paid homage to PPP leaders and activists who laid down sacrifices during the days of martial law and said today, the party was united under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari who was fighting for people.

In Khairpur, activists of PPP took out a rally to observe black day. The rally terminated at the press club where the leaders said that Z.A Bhutto did not bow to dictator even after his government was overthrown and thousands of activists were thrown behind bars.

They said that Bhutto would always remain alive in the hearts of people because he gave supreme sacrifice for the sake of democracy.

In Naushahro Feroze, PPP activists took out a rally which terminated in a demonstration at the press club. Local PPP leaders condemned Gen Zia for overthrowing an elected government.

karachi: PPP leader Syed Najme Alam said at a function held at the Peoples Secretariat to mark black day, that July 5, 1977 was the darkest chapter of Pakistan’s history.

He said that Bhutto created political awareness among workers, organised Islamic summit and laid foundation of nuclear programme but Gen Zia sowed the seeds of religious extremism, sectarianism and introduced Kalashnikov culture, narcotics and ethnicity in politics.

He said the country was still facing fallout of martial law imposed on July 5, 1977, and warned that once again conspiracies were being hatched to create the same conditions but PPP would foil all such conspiracies with the support of people.

Mumtaz Bhutto

PML-N leader and former Sindh chief minister and governor Mumtaz Ali Bhutto has said that since July 5, 1977, when Gen Zia had overthrown Bhutto’s democratic government, democratic system had not yet been restored.

Mr Bhutto said at an iftar party hosted by PML-N leaders in Gulshan-i-Haider that since July 5, people had seen only anarchy, martial laws and destructive politics of so-called reconciliation.

He said that reconciliation had been imposed in the name of democracy and the people who did not have a public mandate were enjoying the rule. The federal government could not absolve itself of the worst rule in Sindh, he said.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2015

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