PAKISTAN PEOPLES PARTY GREATER LONDON

Message from Mr. Asif Ali Zardari

President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

On the occasion of Pakistan Day 23^rd March, 2009

Today is an auspicious day. Sixty nine years ago, on this day, the Muslims of the subcontinent through a formal resolution expressed their firm resolve to achieve a separate homeland for themselves wherein they could fashion their lives in accordance with their own values, culture, mores and traditions. With the blessings of Allah and through an unprecedented struggle the Muslims of the subcontinent achieved their lofty objective within a short span of seven years. On this auspicious occasion I wish to greet the entire Pakistani nation.

When our founding fathers resolved to carve out an independent state, they had in mind a state where constitutionalism and rule of law reigned supreme. For a long time and at intervals the rule of law and Constitutionalism has been trampled by dictators sometime under the doctrine of necessity and sometime under the theory of successful revolution. This cycle must come to an end. It will.

The restoration recently of the deposed Judges has raised the expectations of the people to witness an end to this cycle.

On this day I urge everyone to work in the spirit of tolerance, mutual accommodation and respect for dissent and invite everyone to participate in the national effort for national reconciliation and healing the wounds.

On this day let us all resolve that we shall endeavour to uphold the Constitution, rule of law and work for the emancipation of the people. I hope that towards this end in view all institutions of the state will work in harmony.

Let us on this day also resolve to fight the tendency to have on set of laws for the privileged and another for the unprivileged.  Let us dedicate ourselves to upholding the independence of judiciary in accordance with the Constitution and the guidelines given in the Charter of Democracy.  Unless there is rule of law and everyone is equal before law, the future of our great country will be exposed to internal and external threats.

 I am confident that if we adhere to Constitution and democratic principles we will transform our country into a truly welfare state as envisaged by the founding fathers. I pray to Almighty Allah to bless our efforts to prove ourselves worthy of the heritage bequeathed to us by the Quaid-e-Azam.