Islamabad, Sep 6, 2008:
The newly elected
President and
Co-Chairperson Pakistan
Peoples Party thanked the
nation for electing him as
the 12th President of the
Pakistan by an
overwhelming majority on
Sept 6, 2008.
"In the name of
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Shaheed, I humbly thank
the people of Pakistan for
their faith in me and for
entrusting me with the
responsibility to
represent them at the
highest office of the
country. I pledge to carry
forward the mission of
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto for a democratic
and progressive Pakistan.
I bow my head before God
and pray to him to give me
the strength to deliver on
the nation's expectations
as I take this important
responsibility."
Mr Zardari said that his
election as a consensus
President is the triumph
of the ideals, policies
and the principles of
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto who was determined
to turn Pakistan into a
society with strong
political and democratic
structures
"Today's peaceful
election marks another
step towards the
transition to democracy
that Shaheed Mohtarma was
committed to. She strongly
believed that a system
advocating people's rule
is the destiny of Pakistan
and is worth every
sacrifice. My election as
the representative of the
people of Pakistan is a
demonstration that
Mohtarma continues to live
and rule from her grave in
Garhi Khuda Baksh."
The PPP Co Chairperson
said that the democratic
process needs total
commitment from all
political forces.
"Pakistan's democracy
is being closely watched
and there are arguments
being made about its
inability to hold. It's a
challenge, not only for me
and for the democratic
forces, but also for the
people of Pakistan. We
have to prove wrong the
perception that Pakistan
and democracy cannot go
together. I want to
tell all those doubting
our nation's commitment
for a representative
political order, that ours
is the nation that has
made the biggest
sacrifices for the cause
of democracy, ours is the
nation that has looked
dictatorship in its eyes
and said: "Kitney
Bhutto Maaro Gay, Har Ghar
Sey Bhutto Niklay Ga,"
ours is the nation that
braved the might of the
state, yet fought on the
streets for their right to
determine their own
destiny."
Mr Zardari said that it is
these values that he has a
responsibility to protect
and uphold. "I make a
pledge to the people of
Pakistan that I will do
what I have been tasked to
do."
Mr Zardari said that he
wishes to restore people's
trust and faith in the
office of the Presidency
that, after a decade of
non-democratic rule, has
come to be seen as the
centre of conspiracies
against the nation.
"I have been sent by
the people of Pakistan to
this Office to fix the
imbalances in the system,
bring peace into the
country and unite all
democratic forces to
consolidate the political
system so that any other
option of governance never
finds its way in our
nation's life in the name
of 'doctrine of
necessity'."
The PPP Co Chairperson
urged all democratic
forces to come forward and
support him in achieving
the mission to bring
complete democracy in
Pakistan. "My
presence in the Office
represents the ideals that
the nation wants its
political leadership to
implement. I need
everybody's support for
this objective. It's a
historical opportunity for
all political forces to
change the future
direction of the country.
We must rise above Party
lines to shut the doors on
non-democratic forces,
once and for all."
