Benazir Bhutto Chair at KU launched

KARACHI: The launching ceremony of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Chair at the University of Karachi was held at the campus on Tuesday. Sindh Culture Minister Sassui Palejo was the chief guest on the occasion.

The culture minister also presented a cheque of Rs 25 million, which was announced by Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah at a function held at the University of Karachi. She promised to arrange a further Rs 100 million for research and other expenses of the chair. She announced that an auditorium would also be built in the university, with the capacity for 2,000 people where the offices of the Chair would be constructed.

Palejo said the basic objective of the chair should be to delve deep into the oriental school of thought introduced to the West by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto by her ideologies that helped in bridging the gap between the East and the West, as her main objective was to end the clash between the two polarities.

In a message read out on the occasion, President Asif Ali Zardari said that there was a vast treasure of the ideas, thoughts and philosophy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as well as on the life she lived so gloriously and vigorously.

Vice-Chancellor of Karachi University Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim, PPP leaders Prof ND Khan and Taj Haider appreciating the efforts of establishing the chair, said it was pertinent to research and redefine the political and democratic philosophy of Benazir Bhutto because academia could not be separated from democracy.

Pirzada Qasim said that establishing this chair at Karachi University was similar to organising and rejuvenating the history of Pakistan.

PPP set to observe July 5 as black day

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is set to observe July 5 (today) Black Day - when the elected government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was toppled by Gen Ziaul

Haq.

Leadership and workers of the PPP every year observe July 5 as Black Day to pay homage to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and laud his services to the country, democracy and the poor masses. A number of events and functions would be organised on this day across the country to eulogise Bhutto. In the federal capital, the PPP has arranged functions at the National Press Club (NPC) as well as at the Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi - the place of assassination of former chairperson of PPP Benazir Bhutto.

Saleemur Rehman Meo, the PPP Human Rights Wing Punjab president, said that a programme would be conducted at the NPC and the day would always be remembered as the hallmark of great struggle of PPP workers to challenge the dictatorship and the worst trial, flogging and years-long imprisonments, they had faced.

He vowed to continue struggle to beat the undemocratic forces and blocking the course of dictatorship forever in Pakistan.Amir Fida Paracha, the PPP city president, Rawalpindi ñ the main organiser of the ceremony to be held at Liaquat Bagh, has termed the Martial Law of July 5, 1977 as a turning point in the history of the PPP.

“The credit again went to the then leadership of the PPP to reunite the scattered nation due to the worst-ever martial law of General Ziaul Haq who had trampled down the rights of people,” he remarked.