ISLAMABAD: A monument in remembrance of ‘unsung heroes of democracy’ was established in the lawns of Parliament House and was inaugurated on Friday by Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani and Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

They also lay a wreath at the memorial during the inauguration.

Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani had come up with the idea for the monument six months ago about which the speaker National Assembly was also briefed. Four artists from Lok Virsa worked on the monument along with Capital Development Authority staff and completed it in a month and a half.

The chairman Senate had also come up with the idea for Constitution Lane or Gali-i-Dastoor, which was established in Parliament House last year.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rabbani said the incumbent democratic government is due to the sacrifices of many political workers, intellectuals, journalists, labourers, farmers, writers and people from all walks of life, who are the “unsung heroes of democracy”.

He said political workers have been tortured and imprisoned in the Lahore Fort and that the monument has been established as tribute to all the unnamed “heroes”.

He added that the monument may be small but has great importance. The leaders of both houses have decided that all visiting foreign dignitaries coming to Parliament House will first be taken to the monument and will place a wreath on it.

“It is unfortunate that in the past, the state [misrepresented] those people who played their role in strengthening the rule of law, the Constitution and parliament.

“What we are now and the status we enjoy today is due to these unsung heroes. The benefits of democracy have been underplayed and that of a dictatorship exaggerated through pre-planned efforts,” he said.

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said he cannot compare his political struggles with the sacrifices that the chairman Senate had made for democracy. He stressed on the need for promoting the culture of tolerance.

Mr Sadiq added that the monument was established in remembrance of people’s sacrifices and the tortures they were put through.

The issue of the feuding legislators

Talking to media persons, the National Assembly speaker said that the fight between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) legislator Murad Saeed and PML-N’s Javed Latif in the parliament lobby was embarrassing not only for those involved but for all lawmakers.

Murad Saeed had on Thursday tried to punch Javed Latif in the face when the latter had criticised PTI chairman Imran Khan for his statement regarding foreign cricket players. Mr Saeed also claimed that the PML-N legislator had called the PTI chief a traitor.

Mr Sadiq said parliamentarians should promote the culture of tolerance and patience, which will lead to the decline of undemocratic forces.

“Those who sacrificed their lives, were flogged and spent years in jail should be remembered. There is a need for changing [our] behaviour for the stability of democracy,” he said.

Deputy Chairman Senate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Leader of the House in Senate Raja Mohammad Zafarul Haq and other parliamentarians, members of the civil society and media also attended the inauguration.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2017