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LAHORE, Dec 28: People from all walks of life have condemned the assassination of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
LABOUR PARTY: Attributing the assassination of former prime minister to a government security lapse, the Labour Party Pakistan demanded resignation of President Pervez Musharraf and holding of general elections under an impartial caretaker government and an independent Election Commission.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Labour Party’s spokesman Farooq Tariq said that Benazir’s assassination and killing of a number of other people after a public meeting in Rawalpindi was an undeniable proof of the state’s failure to provide protection to its people, especially to politicians.
President Musharraf could not absolve himself of the responsibility of Benazir’s murder by blaming the religious fanatics as they had murdered her at the behest of intelligence agencies as a warning to the progressive and democratic forces.
He called upon the people to avoid damaging public and private properties and instead organising big peaceful demonstrations to protest the assassination of former prime minister as only a peaceful democratic movement could help bring an end to Musharraf’s dictatorship.
TEHRIK-I-ISTAQLAL: Describing the assassination of Benazir as a national tragedy Tehrik-i-Istaqlal President Air Marshal Muhammad Asghar Khan (retired) and Information Secretary Muhammad Hanif Goraya said that it would intensify the feelings of deprivation in small provinces and increasing threats to the federation.
BISHOPS: Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference President Lawrence J. Saldhana, National Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue and Ecumenism Chairperson Bishop Dr. Andrew Francis, Bishop of Raiwind Samuel Azariah and Bishop of Lahore Dr. Alexander John Malik said that the church was deeply shocked and grieved over the tragic death of former prime minister. They condemned the extremist elements that took her life.
They said that Benzir was a courageous, liberal and progressive leader who was deeply committed to the welfare of the poor and downtrodden masses. She was the voice of the voiceless and immensely popular in Christian community. They hoped that her struggle for peace, justice, democracy and freedom of common man would be kept alive by the like-minded people of Pakistan to make the dream of a just and prosperous Pakistan a reality.
NCJP: National Commission for Justice and Peace Secretary Peter Jacob said that the reoccurrence of suicide bombings manifested the impunity available to terrorists to take the lives of innocent people. The tragedy required a thorough probe for identification of the culprits
He said the killing of former prime minister had not only anguished the nation but had also raised questions about the effectiveness of so-called war on terror. The policies regarding governance and political participation required a thorough review as it was not possible to face the challenge of extremism without giving due freedom to civil society. Moreover, the individuals and institutions assigned to maintain security and peace had to be made accountable for their lapses and shortcomings by establishing the rule of law.
JUP: Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan Secretary General Qari Zawwar Bahadar said that assassination of Benazir and firing on the procession of another former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Rawalpindi were attempts to sabotage the general elections and struggle for bringing democracy back to the bullet-riddled country.
