ISLAMABAD: “Religious fanaticism and privatised Jihad” introduced by a military dictator after overthrowing an elected government in 1977 is still haunting the nation, Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari said on the eve of the 39th anniversary of the ouster of the democratically elected government on July 5, 1977.

“The dictator [Gen Zia] started privatising Jihad, a process that was to take the jihadis’ agenda beyond national boundaries in pursuit of dubious security policies and goals. Religious fanaticism and privatised Jihad pursuing some dubious security goals continue to haunt the nation even today,” Mr Zardari said.

He said that July 5 was a “black day in our national calendar on many counts”. On this day, he said, a dictator overthrew an elected prime minister and later executed him.

“On this day, the Constitution was decimated and thus began a process of destruction of state institutions. Never before had any individual done so much destruction as was done by the dictator who hijacked the nation and national institutions on this day,” Mr Zardari said in his message, which interestingly has no mention of the name of Gen Ziaul Haq.

“Truly it is a day of national shame and horror. It enjoins upon us to jealously guard democracy on one hand and to punish the dictators on the other,” he said, adding: “Dictators and usurpers of people’s rights and freedom must be punished; in the fullness of time they will be.”

The PPP leader left abruptly for Dubai in June last year and has not returned to the country while his messages continue to be issued from the party’s media wing.

Mr Zardari also paid homage to the democratic ethos of the people and to all those who suffered in the cause of democracy.

“The people of Pakistan have consistently refused to be suppressed by force and have always bounced back to seize their democratic rights from the jaws of dictators. I salute them,” he said.

“On this day my thoughts also go to those martyrs of democracy who suffered and sacrificed during that black period of our national history. They suffered so that the future generations may live in peace and honour. They are our national heroes.”

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2016