KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has paid glowing tribute to the martyrs of May 12, 2007, massacre in Karachi.
According to a statement released on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of May 12 massacre, Bilawal said that nations learn from their tragedies and never forget their martyrs too.
“Pakistani nation is determined that it will no longer allow anyone in the country to sow the seeds of racial, linguistic or religious hatred and enmity,” he maintained.
Bilawal Bhutto said that it was the result of the sacrifices of the martyrs of May 12 tragedy that the metropolis of more than 30 million residents is now open to everyone for development and political activities.
He further said that it was gratifying to see that Karachi was moving fast towards becoming Pakistan’s the Uroos-al-Bllad (the most beautiful city) once again.
Bilawal Bhutto said that his party was truly a democratic movement, whose history lies over never compromising of ideology, philosophy and guiding principles at any cost.
May 12 massacre
The riots were a series of violent clashes between rival political activists in Karachi on May 12, 2007. The unrest began as the recently suspended chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry arrived at the Jinnah International Airport.
Gunfights and clashes erupted across the provincial capital as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists took and state machinery was used to block all major roads. Police remained a silent spectator to the violence.
Chaudhry’s supporters had announced a public rally to welcome the judge while at the same time, the MQM also announced a demonstration of their own to protest against the politicisation of the issue of the judge’s suspension.
The MQM made plans to deliberately converge at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah where the chief justice was to make an appearance to address a lawyers’ convention and a bar association meeting.
In the carnage that ensued, more than 50 people were killed with several hundred injured and arrested. The top judge remained confined to the lounge of the Karachi airport all day and had to fly back without attending the gathering.
