LARKANA: President Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that the 18th Constitutional Amend­ment has blocked the path for unconstitutional remo­val of democratically elected governments.

“Due to this amendment, democracy continues in the country and parliaments are now completing their constitutional terms,” he said in a statement issued here on Saturday on the eve of the July 5, 1977 Martial Law anniversary.

He said that on this day in 1977, the democratic government of (PPP founder chairman) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown. He termed it a ‘black day’ in the history of Pakistan.

After restoration of the Constitution to its original form through the 18th Amendment introduced by the PPP, no democratic government can now be removed through any unconstitutional means other than a vote of no confidence, according to Mr Khuhro.

“Now, violators of the Constitution can be charged under Article 6 (high treason),” he said.

He said that the PPP would always observe the July 5, 1977 as ‘black day’ to condemn the coup stated by Gen Ziaul Haq. He described the Martial Law as a dark chapter in the history.

He said that if all state institutions worked within their constitutional orbits, democracy in the country would grow stronger.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2026