ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Senator Farhatullah Babar has asked the civil society organisations to play their role in persuading the government for implementing the recommendations of the Senate to address issue of missing persons in the country.

Speaking at a memorial reference for Asma Jehangir organised by the Awami Workers Party at the National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad on Saturday, Farhatullah Babar said that the Senate recommendations also included a draft legislation to make state agencies accountable. The proposed legislation pending for the past over a year with the government must be passed soon, he said.

He said that the days of direct takeover seemed to be over and a new model of controlled democracy had emerged. In this model the person sitting on the wheel was not the actual driver and vital controls were operated invisibly from the rear seat, he said.

Paying tributes to Asma Jehangir, the PPP leader said that she fought against traditions that militated against the weak and the oppressed and that was why men and women, Muslims and Non-Muslims all stood shoulder to shoulder to bid her farewell.

He said that in defence of liberty and freedom, she fought dictators whether civilian or military and whether bearded or without beard.

“She fought for the independence of judiciary but also openly criticised judgments which she thought were more political than judicial. Asma challenged the clergy on issues of blasphemy, marriageable age for girls and wali's presence in solemnizing marriage,” he said.

Later talking to the media, Farhatullah Babar said that most of the bloggers who went missing were those who pleaded alternate theories of national security. The state does not seem to tolerate new narratives gaining attraction as it will undermine the pre-eminence of some elements, he said.

PPP STRUGGLED FOR MASSES WHENEVER COMES INTO POWER: ZARDARI

Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that the PPP is following the path treaded by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to create a society which is prosperous and peaceful.

Addressing the office-bearers of PPP district Rawalpindi on Saturday, Asif Zardari said that elections in 2013 were stolen by ROs and Nawaz Sharif was brought to power but now the circumstances are different and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has entered into politics.

He said, “We all will fulfill the dreams of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Her foreign policies were independent and her mission was to empower women. She wanted to get rid of ignorance and poverty from the country.”

Zardari said that whenever PPP comes to power it benefits the people, provides jobs to the youth, price hike is bridled and resolves issues concerning poor people of Pakistan.

He asked workers to start election campaign and spread the message of PPP chairman to every corner of the country.