President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday expressed the resolve not to allow anyone usurp the fundamental rights of the people and trample on their democratic aspirations. In a message on Pakistan Day, the President also asked the nation to denounce violence, hatred and intolerance that have crept into the polity.
"I call upon every one today to forge a spirit of tolerance, mutual accommodation, harmony and respect for dissent," the President said. President Zardari termed March 23 this year as most memorable as it was the first after the Parliament unanimously removed from the Constitution the over three-decade old vestiges of dictatorship to make it truly democratic.
"It is a proud day for every Pakistani as we celebrate the triumph of democracy over dictatorship and demonstrate to the world that dictatorship can never take roots in the country." On this auspicious occasion I wish to greet the entire Pakistan nation, he said. President Zardari said 72 years ago on this day the Muslims of the subcontinent set out to achieve the goal of a separate homeland for themselves. He said in a short span of seven years the Muslims, led by the Quaid-e-Azam, achieved their dreams.
"The Quaid and our founding fathers had envisaged a democratic and pluralistic state where constitutionalism and rule of law would reign supreme and where minorities will have equal rights as citizens. We must not deviate form those principles." "Let us on this day reiterate our principles and resolve to be strong in upholding them," President Zardari said and prayed to Almighty Allah to guide and enable the nation to be worthy of the heritage bequeathed by the Quaid-e-Azam.