LAHORE, Nov 5: The PPP observed a protest day on Wednesday, as former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari completed seven years in detention.

Protest camps were set up at district headquarters across the country to condemn the rulers for “victimizing Mr Zardari in an attempt to mount pressure on Ms Bhutto to quit politics”.

In Lahore, a protest camp was set up on the press club premises, where party workers from all wings were present. Wearing black armbands, the protesters raised slogans against the president, Gen Pervez Musharraf, and in favour of Ms Bhutto and her spouse.

Mr Zardari was arrested on Nov 6, 1996, when the then president, Farooq Leghari, dismissed the PPP government on corruption charges. About 16 cases and references are pending against him.

Punjab PML-N president Zulfiqar Khosa, accompanied by Khalid Lateef, visited the protest camp to express solidarity with the incarcerated leader.

The PPP also held a seminar in a local hotel where secretary-general Jehangir Badar strongly criticized Mr Farooq Leghari for ordering the arrest of Mr Zardari seven years ago.

Speaking at the press club protest camp, the party’s provincial president, Qasim Zia, said the struggle for restoration of democracy and Constitution had picked up momentum

and it would further accelerate in the days and weeks to come.

He said all cases against Ms Bhutto and her husband were baseless and must be withdrawn without delay. In case the rulers failed to fulfil the requirements of justice, a potent movement would be launched after Ramazan, he warned.

Mr Zia also called for the release of PML-N acting president Javed Hashmi.

Information secretary Altaf Qureshi, Federal Council secretary-general Khalid Kharal, Lahore chapter president Mian Misbahur Rehman, Munir Khan, Haji Azizur Rehman Chan, Sohail Malik and Sajida Mir were also present.

Mr Khosa told reporters that the PPP and his party were making concerted efforts to get all political prisoners released.

He said a broad-based anti-government alliance was needed to mount pressure on the dictators to quit.

Mr Khosa said it augured well for the country that both the major political parties had admitted their past mistakes and resolved to set healthy traditions in the future.

He said it was also a good omen that political adversaries of the past had become allies and were jointly struggling for democracy.

Information secretary Altaf Qureshi said Mr Zardari was a victim of “state terrorism”. He made it clear that the party would not succumb to any pressure.

He said the PPP had been challenging the dictators all along and would continue to tread the same path in the future.

Ruling out any flexibility, Mr Qureshi said the party would not hesitate to offer any sacrifice to uphold its principles.

At the seminar, Jehangir Badar said Mr Zardari was the Nelson Mandela of Pakistan.

He said it was regrettable that he had not been set free despite bail.

Mr Badar said Mr Zardari had already served more than a life-term and it was gross injustice to keep him behind the bars when no charge against him had yet been proved.

Former secretary-general Sheikh Rafiq Ahmed and Abdul Qadir Shaheen also addressed the gathering.