PESHAWAR, May 12: Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has thanked all democratic forces in the NWFP Assembly for demanding her early return to Pakistan and release of her spouse, Asif Ali Zardari.

Speaking to Abdul Akbar Khan, PPP parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly, on telephone from Dubai, Ms Bhutto asked him to convey her thanks to the democracy-loving lawmakers who she said had made a just move by adopting a resolution on May 8, with majority, for the release of Mr Zardari and her return to the country.

She said: “We both, I and Mr Zardari, are thankful to the MPAs who had directly and indirectly supported the resolution. We are particularly thankful to ANP leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour, co-mover of the resolution, and his party MPAs for their political support on the issue.”

Ms Bhutto also lauded the role of Mr Akbar Khan in the assembly and said despite having a small number of PPP MPAs, he had played a commendable role in the house and got the resolution passed.

All inhuman, illegal and ultra-constitution attempts, she said, against the popular leadership were linked to the personal agenda of anti-democratic forces. “However, the last victory rests with the people. In a war between the truth and falsehood, the victory lies with the truth,” she added.

Ms Benazir vowed that she and the PPP would continue to play an active role for the survival, security, prosperity and progress of the country so that the democratic institutions could flourish and the countrymen could get rid of poverty, price-hike, unemployment and a sense of deprivation.

She said the PPP parliamentary group in the NWFP Assembly would continue to play its role for the promotion of a democratic culture, and welfare and prosperity of the masses.