President, PM pledge to safeguard democracy

ISLAMABAD (Online) - President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have asked the nation to resolve that we will not allow anyone to usurp the fundamental rights of our people and trample on their democratic aspirations. Extending their greetings to the entire nation on the occasion of Pakistan Day, the President and Prime Minister in their separate messages urged the nation to work for harmony, unity and demonstrate to the world that dictatorship can never take roots in the country. President Zardari in his message said 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 from those principles, he said. 'Let us resolve that we will not allow anybody to usurp the fundamental rights of our people and trample on their democratic aspirations. Let us also on this day denounce violence, hatred and intolerance that have crept into our polity, the President said. Prime Minister in his message said Pakistan Resolution represented the beginning of a journey, which started from seeking right to separate electorate and ended on attaining the goal of self-determination. Important landmarks of history do not reach their culmination without leaderships determination, consistency and sacrifice of the people, he added. 'As we celebrate the Pakistan Day today, it is important to introspect ourselves whether we achieved the objective for which the Muslims of sub-continent rendered immense sacrifices with their blood. Pakistan was achieved through a democratic struggle and it is our individual and collective responsibility to safeguard democracy and representative rule, PM said .