KARACHI, June 21: Leaders and workers of the Pakistan People’s Party on Wednesday pledged to continue their struggle for democracy under the leadership of their chairperson Benazir Bhutto and warned the government that if Ms Bhutto is arrested on her return, they would break the jail to free her.

A party gathering was organised outside Bilawal House to celebrate the 53rd birthday of the PPP chairperson.

Ms Bhutto in her message lauded the struggle of her party workers against despotic and undemocratic regime and asked to remain steadfast in their quest for a better future for the people of a truly democratic Pakistan.

Ms Bhutto vowed to “write history with our sweat, blood and tears to ensure that our people can have a glorious future at peace with themselves and with their neighbours”.

She said that throughout the triumphs and tragedies of long years, she had never wavered in the commitment to a democratic federation and for the emancipation of the people from hunger, disease, illiteracy and unemployment.

Paying tributes to workers she said: “Together we have faced bullets, teargas shells, baton charges, imprisonment and together we have stood strong.”

“I take pride in the jiyalas of the PPP who have kept the banner of truth, justice and the people flying high,” she said and called for “immediate release of PPP leaders Yusuf Raza Gillian, Bismillah Kakar, Junaid Bulund as well as for the release of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and other members of the ARD who are behind bars”.

“We will stand by you through thick and thin. We will complete the mission of Quaid-i-Azam and Quaid-i-Awam whose life was dedicated to giving each of our citizen respect, dignity and honour, which can only come through social and economic emancipation,” she said.

The meeting adopted several resolutions through which the regime was castigated for deteriorating law and order situation, price hike and rising unemployment, power outages and demolition of old villages. It criticized the regime for the so-called media trail of Ms Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari and demanded that all ‘concocted’ cases against them should be withdrawn.

The meeting demanded that all political leaders and workers should be freed immediately.