ISLAMABAD - Co-Chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to liberate Pakistanis from backwardness, illiteracy and poverty and set out to build a modern state by giving a federal, democratic, egalitarian and unanimous constitution rooted in the teachings of Islam.
Petty cowards and dictators feared Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in life as well as from his grave, he added. "Today on the occasion of the 87th birth anniversary of the founder of the Pakistan People's Party Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, let us vow to eradicate the greatest existential threat to the country namely extremism and militancy so that the nation and Bhutto's legacy live," this was stated by in a message on the birth anniversary of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
"Let us renew our pledge to continue our fight against the militants and extremists and not permit them to foist their obscurantist agenda through force," he said. It is reassuring that on the occasion of his 87th birth anniversary the nation has unsheathed its swords against these sworn enemies of the state to exterminate them from our midst, he said.
 "The flower of humanity can blossom only in an environment of tolerance and freedom. We must therefore banish from our midst intolerance; we will."
Zardari said that the extremists and terrorist groups rose in the wake of the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Quaid-e-Awam and his judicial execution two years later. The joining of hands by the dictator's clique and religious fanatics altered the nation's course, he said adding that today the state was reeling from the consequences of a brutal dictatorship and trained religious extremists joining hands to fight wars across national borders.
 The anniversary celebrations of Quaide Awam this year comes at a time of national mourning in the wake of assassination of over 140 innocent school children and their teachers in a senseless mayhem in Peshawar, he said.
The Party therefore observes the occasion today with simplicity and prayers for the martyrs of Peshawar tragedy and all those martyred in fighting militancy. "On this anniversary of our founder Chairman the Party reiterates its pledge to do whatever it takes to ensure that the nation and his legacy will live on in an environ of peace and security."