Democracy achieved after long struggle, great sacrifices: Zardari

ISLAMABAD : Co-Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari said Friday that PPP was committed to promoting democratic norms in the country as democracy was achieved after a long struggle and great sacrifices. Inaugurating the Socialist International Asia-Pacific Committee meeting (SIAPCM) here, he paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for her struggle and sacrifice for the establishment of democracy in the country.
Zardari thanked the participants of the meeting for appreciating the PPP’s struggle with regard to restoration of democracy and supremacy of the parliament.
He said the PPP believed in dialogue process and settling problems on the negotiating table for durable and complete democracy.
The PPP Co-Chairman apprised the participants of the meeting that the country was moving steadily on the path of democracy.
He said the PPP was taking all political parties along for strengthen democracy in the country and promoting brotherhood in the society.
“Future of democracy can only be secured if we, the political parties, will give each other respect, which is the basic foundation of our governance today,” he added.
He praised coalition partners of the government for extending support to the PPP for the greater cause of democracy, despite having some difference of opinion on certain issues.
Asif Ali Zardari said that his party and PML-N were partners in the journey to democracy.
He said the present economic situation of the country demanded that all political forces must remain together to effectively tackle the challenges.
Commenting on prevailing energy situation in the country, he said the previous government did not evolve effective strategy to meet the growing demand of electricity and expressed the resolve to overcome the problem, hopefully by the end of the current year.
He termed terrorism threat to democracy and said the government was determined to get rid of the menace at every cost.