In order to a pay a befitting tribute to Benazir Bhutto on her death anniversary, the caretaker government of Sindh has declared a public holiday across the province for today. The announcement, approved by Caretaker Chief Minister Justice Muqbool Baqir, will see a shutdown of government offices, private institutions, local councils, and administrative offices throughout Sindh.
The caretaker setup in the province, in my view, has taken the right step for it certainly marks the continuation of the tradition of observing her death anniversary as a public holiday in the late leader’s home province. In my view, in addition to Sindh’s, all the provincial should have treated this day as a public holiday mainly due to three broad reasons.
One, she was a national leader of global stature; secondly, her death anniversary is taking place in the midst of electoral campaigns ahead of the February 2024 elections; and thirdly, she, along with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif and others, was a signatory to the Charter of Democracy.
Announcing public holiday by the federal government or provincial governments of KPK, Punjab and Balochistan would not have necessarily added to the electoral prospects of Pakistan People’s Party, which is in the fray under the leadership of Benazir’s son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
This gesture would have certainly added to the sanctity or credibility of the seemingly controversial process, given the late former prime minister, the first woman prime minister of Pakistan, had rendered unmatched sacrifices towards achieving ideal democracy in Pakistan.
Needless to say, like her father ZA Bhutto, she had always advocated the greater cause of democracy, arguing that democracy is really superior to any other form of government as it ensures people a broader range of personal freedoms than other forms of government do.
According to her, democracy helps people to protect their fundamental interests. Moreover, it is only under democratic dispensations people’s rights are guaranteed. No doubt, she was profound, so to speak. May Almighty God always shower His blessings on the departed soul. Aaameen.
Hasan Khalid Nizamani (Karachi)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023