Martyrs of Karsaz deserve credit for restoration of democracy in Pakistan: Zardari

KARACHI: Former President of Pakistan and President Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Thursday  said martyrs of Karsaz tragedy deserve credit for restoration of democracy in the country, ARY News reported.

In his message on the 11th anniversary of the tragedy which killed at at least 200 people, Asif Ali Zardari said that the sacrifice of martyrs restored democracy in the country which, sadly, is ononce again under threat.

The former president said that because of the supreme sacrifice of these martyrs democracy was restored in the country and dictatorship was defeated.

“Today is the day to pay rich tributes to those martyrs who defeated the extremists and terrorists’ design. It also showed that terrorists and extremists are the enemies of the nation,” said Zardari.

Former President said that the PPP government during the year 2008 to 2013, restored 1973 constitution, made parliament supreme, gave provinces due autonomy and people of Khyber Pakthunkwa their identity.

On October 18, 2007 streets of Karachi ground to a halt to welcome the return of Benazir Bhutto, after an eight-year self-imposed exile during which she lived in Dubai and London.

Two explosions occurred in front of the rallying truck from which she greeted her supporters and party members on the route about halfway from the airport to Quaid-e-Azam’s tomb for a scheduled rally, just after Bhutto’s truck had crossed a bridge.

Police vehicles bore the brunt of the blasts, which completely destroyed three police vans and killed at least 20 policemen in the vehicles.

Conflicting reports indicate that Benazir Bhutto, who was not injured in the attack, was either sitting on top of the truck or had just climbed into the compartment of the truck at the time of the explosion.