President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the best way to pay homage to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is to continue struggling for his vision to achieve the goal of a federal and democratic polity. In his message on the 61st death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam, the President said, "We have to strive for achieving the objectives for which Pakistan was created as a separate independent homeland for the Muslims of sub-continent."
President Zardari said for democracy and rule of law to flourish in Pakistan, there was a need to defeat the militants who believed in imposing its own agenda on the people through gun and bullets. "The people must resolve on this day not to let the militants destroy the social fabric of the country," he said.
The President said although the militants had been forced to retreat and were already on the run, but much more needed to be done to banish the militant mindset that was a threat to the founding principles of the country. He said Pakistan was also envisaged to be a country where there would be social justice and economic opportunities for all. "We therefore also need to adopt policies that promote social justice ad economic opportunities for all," he said.
Zardari welcomed the recent decision to give shareholding rights to the workers of state-run enterprises as a step in the right direction for achieving social justice. He paid tribute to the innumerable people who made huge sacrifices and to all the martyrs who laid their lives first for the creation of Pakistan and secondly for keeping it as a democratic polity. "Our people have a long history of struggle for the achievement of the objectives for which Pakistan was created," he said.
President Zardari said, "On this day, we must also resolve that Supremacy of Parliament is the most cherished goal that must be pursued, with all honesty and sincerity. This will indeed be a most befitting tribute to the memory of the Founder of the Nation." He said, "Let us on this day once again make a pledge that we will make Pakistan a country where there will be democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and economic opportunities for all."