Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday paid tribute to the martyrs of the Karsaz tragedy, saying their sacrifices had strengthened Pakistan’s democratic foundations.
In a statement marking the anniversary of the October 18, 2007, attack, the chief minister described the bombing targeting supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) who had gathered to welcome former prime minister Benazir Bhutto back to Pakistan as a cowardly act of terrorism.
Around 180 PPP workers were martyred when two explosions struck near Benazir Bhutto’s rallying truck in Karachi as she returned to the country after eight years in self-imposed exile.
Murad Ali Shah said the martyrs had written a new chapter of courage and sacrifice in the struggle for democracy. Despite the deadly blasts, PPP supporters risked their lives to protect their leader, he added.
He said the sacrifices of the martyrs would not go in vain and reaffirmed the PPP’s commitment to continuing its democratic struggle.
The chief minister said President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were carrying forward the democratic mission initiated by the party’s martyrs.He added that the pain of the Karsaz tragedy remained fresh in the hearts of Pakistanis and that October 18 served as a reminder of the sacrifices made for democracy.
