Benazir Bhutto honoured with prestigious award

ISLAMABAD : Former Prime Minister Mohterma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was posthumously awarded the prestigious “Prix de La Fondation” award at Monaco, says a message received here Monday. The award was received by her daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari on her behalf. The “Prix de La Fondation” is awarded by Crans Montana Forum, based in Monaco and is given to modern figures of peace, liberty and democracy. One of its characteristics is that people are awarded the prize during their lifetime although certain martyrs of liberty who have played role in world history have also been awarded the prize posthumously.
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, while addressing the gathering, after receiving the award said, “it goes without saying that I wish that she were here - standing where I am now to receive the award. I know she would have been greatly honoured to have been recognized amongst so many other world leaders. As you know my mother was a martyr for liberty.
She returned to Pakistan last year to contest election in order to enable Pakistan to resume, once more, a democratic system of government.
She knew that in returning to Pakistan she was putting her life at risk”. She added that her mother repeatedly stated that where there is dictatorship the forces of extremism can flourish and that is why she believed passionately in democracy.
Finally she said that on December 27 last year she died among the people she loved and who loved her. She thanked Crans Montana for honouring her mother with this award and said that it was also a great honour for her family, her father Asif Ali Zardari, her brother Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and her sister Asifa Bhutto Zardari.
Earlier Professor Jean-Paul Carteron, Chairman Crans Montana Forum praised Mohterma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed for her courage, her deep respect for the fundamental values of democracy and her desire to create a better world.
He said that he was sure that her great sacrifice would not go waste and that the people of Pakistan will see Madam Bhutto’s dream of “grand Pakistan” come true. He hoped that the torch of Benazir Bhutto will be held aloft.
Among the other dignitaries who were given the Prix de La Fondation award included President of the Republic Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma, Prime Minister of Morocco Abbas El Fassi, farmer Prime Minister of France Alain Juppe, Chief of the National League for Democracy in Burma Aung San Suu Kyi and Chairman King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies Saudi Arabia H.R.H. Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to France, Asma Anisa, Secretary General PPP Jahangir Badar and other senior PPP leaders including the Party’s representatives in Europe and USA also attended the award ceremony.