ISLAMABAD - Former President Asif Ali Zardari has called upon the people to follow the footsteps of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah by adhering to the principles of democracy and constitutionalism and respect for ballot instead of bullet in deciding upon political issues.
He said this in his message on the 65th death anniversary of Quaid-E- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Zardari said Jinnah envisioned Pakistan to be a country where there would be democracy, respect for the ballot, emancipation of women and economic opportunities for all. Unfortunately today these fundamental values are threatened by the militants and extremists far more menacingly than ever before. "On this Quaid Day let us pledge to defeat the militant mindset and not to permit the extremists destroy our basic values," the former President said. The best way to defeat the extremist mindset that is seeking to impose a political agenda on the people through bullet is to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions.