PPP vows to protect democracy at any cost

LAHORE-At a function held to mark Benazir Bhuttos 4th death anniversary here, PPP leaders on Sunday pledged to protect democracy at any cost, while Punjab Governor, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa went a step further, as he warned the ambitious elements within the army, the judiciary and the US to desist from conspiring against democracy in Pakistan. We will not allow any khaki uniform, judiciary and any superpower to de-rail democracy in Pakistan, he cautioned while addressing a public gathering in Lahore which was also addressed among others by Federal Minister for Law, Moula Bakhsh Chandio, PPP Secretary General, Jehangir Badr, central Punjab President, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Opposition Leader, Raja Riaz and former Punjab General Secretary, Ghuklam Abbas. President Zardaris sister Faryal Talpur also watched the proceedings, but sitting close to the venue at the residence of local PPP leader, Aslam Gill, the organiser of the event. PPP leaders said that she had been advised not to sit on the stage due to security reasons. The PPP workers put up an impressive show on Sunday, as they gathered to commemorate their leaders death anniversary. In their speeches, the leaders lashed out at what they called anti-democracy forces, and vowed to thwart their conspiracies. They also made a pledge to support President Asif Ali Zardari like they did by strengthening the hands of party founder, Z.A Bhutto in 1970, and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto in 1986. Addressing the gathering, Khosa further stated that though the army and the judiciary as an institution were supportive of democracy, but certain elements within these were conspiring against the present set up. The PPP would foil their attempts to de-rail the system, he affirmed, adding that those looking towards army, the judiciary and America for change of government, should know that no body could snatch peoples right to have democracy. No body can mess up with the Constitution and even judiciary could not make decision against the Constitution, he warned. He hoped that army would also safeguard democracy like it was protecting countrys frontiers. He added that the army and the judiciary were not only protecting countrys borders and the judicial institutions respectively, they have also said in categorical terms that they would safeguard democracy and the Constitution as well. In a sarcastic tone, Khosa said that PPP did not attach any importance to the memo like things. Memo would be torn into pieces and thrown into the air, (hum memo ko jootay ki noak pay likhtay hain) he said. Moula Bakhsh Chandio said that PPP had always confronted conspiracies against it and would continue to do so in future as well. He said that current conspiracies were directed more against the federation than the PPP. Jehangir Badr said that PPP had always been fighting war of peoples rights since its inception ignoring personal enmities. The PPP would now fight for peoples rights under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto, he added. Imtiaz Safdar said that no hurdle in the way of democratic system would be tolerated.

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