President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the challenges of coalition politics will be handled through dialogue and negotiations, says a press release issued here Tuesday. "Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has taught us how to resolve complex political issues through dialogue," President Zardari said in a message on the 83rd birth anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
It was through dialogue that Shaheed Bhutto recovered the territory lost in the 1971 war, brought back ninety thousand prisoners of war and prevented the war trials of our military officers to protect the name and honour of the country, the President said. Through dialogue Shaheed Benazir Bhutto prevailed upon a military dictator to shed uniform and thereby paved a way for democratic elections, he said.
"Inspired by our great leaders we also employed dialogue for chasing a dictator out from the Presidency. Through dialogue and consensus the undemocratic Articles introduced into the 1973 Constitution have been removed and the democratic Constitution restored." The Quaid-i-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto responded to the political challenges of his time by awakening the people and giving them voice which no dictatorship has been able to stifle.
President Zardari said that using the tools of dialogue we will face all political challenges in a way that will further strengthen democracy and democratic institutions. On this occasion I urge the valiant party workers to rededicate themselves to the ideals of Bhutto and loudly proclaim to the world that Bhutto still lives in the hearts and minds of the people and, from his grave, haunts the enemies of democracy, the message said.
My thoughts also go to innumerable party workers who paid with their lives and liberty and endured torture to keep the name of Bhutto and Bhuttoism alive. The party will observe this birth anniversary with due solemnity in view of the tragic assassination of Governor Salmaan Taseer. The party will observe a fifteen-day of mourning.-PR