ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (NNI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday vowed to ensure the sanctity of the Constitution by making Pakistan economically developed and independent and by facilitating common people.
“Constitution is the protector and guiding principle of Pakistan and we can sacrifice our lives to protect it,” he said in his message to the nation.
The prime minister felicitated the nation on the completion of 50 years of the 1973 Constitution of the country. He also paid tributes to all the political parties, leaders, and parliamentarians who formulated the constitution for the country.
“We pay tribute to all the respected personalities who elevated the sanctity of the Constitution and continue to play role in its strength during the last 50 years,” he added.
PM Shehbaz said the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 was the extract of the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, and other founders of Pakistan. He said the Constitution of Pakistan kept the nation united. Terming it the mother of all state institutions, he said Constitution is a unanimously agreed upon civil agreement among all the stakeholders living in Pakistan.
The prime minister said despite untoward incidents and conspiracies that happened in the past, the Constitution maintained its existence in the country. He said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was not only the architect of the Constitution but also the one to sacrifice his own life for its sanctity.
“I particularly salute Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif who played a historic role in promoting, saving, and upholding the Constitution of Pakistan,” he added.
He said it was a pleasant coincidence in the country’s history that on the occasion of the Constitution’s golden jubilee celebrations, all the pro-democracy, people-friendly, and pro-constitution parties were in power. He said the golden jubilee of the Constitution coincided with the time when political parties with the help of the Constitution ousted the selected ruling group from power.
It is pertinent to mention here that National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf has suggested that April 10, the day when the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was unanimously adopted by the Parliament, should be commemorated as a national day.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Yadgar-e-Dastoor monument, which celebrates the Constitution’s 50 years of existence, Raja emphasized the importance of honoring the Constitution’s adoption day. The Speaker also praised the founding father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for their contributions to the creation and passage of the Constitution.
Earlier, Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, along with the members of the Parliamentary Committee for the Golden Jubilee of the Constitution of Pakistan, jointly inaugurated the construction of the Yadgar-e-Dastoor monument.
The event marked the beginning of the building of this historic monument in honour of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The Speaker and the committee members laid the foundation brick together, emphasizing the significance of the Constitution’s 50th anniversary.
Raja Pervez said Yadgar-e-Dastoor is set to be a landmark tribute to the Constitution, celebrating its 50 years of existence.
A countrywide architecture competition will be held to select a design for the monument, (Yadgar-e-Dastoor) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been instructed to complete its construction before August 14, 2023.
The idea of constructing the Yadgar-e-Dastoor monument was conceived by the Parliamentary Committee for the Golden Jubilee of the Constitution of Pakistan, which is chaired by Senator Raza Rabbani.
During the inauguration of the countrywide festivities to celebrate the adoption of the Constitution, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed his honor to lead the event. NNI
