A 'black day' will be observed across the Southern Punjab on May 12 to remember the "martyrs of Karachi" who lost their lives during riots in Karachi on the same day last year, said Rao Zafar Iqbal a leader of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) while addressing a press conference here on Sunday.
He said that at least 50 people were killed in riots in Karachi on May 12, 2007, the day when deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was scheduled to address lawyers in the city. Rao alleged that the government had not been able to conduct an independent inquiry into the incident. The new government, he added, should fulfil its promise and bring those responsible for the incident to justice.
"The purpose to observe May 12 as a black day is to express solidarity with the families of those who died in the riots," he said.
"Since the 1999 coup, the country has been pushed from one crisis to another. Today, Pakistan is passing through a critical juncture of its history. It is time for the civilian government to take tangible measures to redress people's grievances," the APDM leader said.
He urged all political parties to shut the doors of governance for military rulers. "For the first time in the country's history, religious and nationalist parties have a consensus on a number of issues, including the supremacy of the Constitution, independence of judiciary, restoration of deposed judges and the rejection of Musharraf as the president," he added.