"Let us on this day rededicate ourselves to the democratic mission of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto whose life was dedicated to fighting dictatorship and those seeking to defame and dismantle democratic institutions," the President said in his message on the eve of the 4th Martyrdom Anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto being observed today (Tuesday). The President urged all the democratic forces and the patriotic Pakistanis to foil all conspiracies against democracy and democratic institutions.
"While we pay tribute to her courage and leadership we also reiterate our resolve to continue fight for the values she upheld and laid down her life for," the President said. He said the twice-elected prime minister of the country Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the first elected female Prime Minister anywhere in the Muslim World.
The daughter of the country's first directly elected prime minister she was the undaunted champion of democracy and a great fighter for the cause of women, underprivileged and marginalised sections of the society, the President said and added that she believed in power of the ballot and rejected violent and militant extremism as an instrument of change.
The President said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto not only believed in these values, but also led the fight for democracy and against militancy from the front, and added, in doing so she laid down her life and illumined the path for future generations to traverse.
He said, therefore, our thoughts go to her today and to all the martyrs who laid down their lives and many hundreds more who were maimed and wounded while protecting the life of their leader. Today we also pledge that we will continue to tread the path she illumined with her blood.
President said that her assassination was a conspiracy to rid the world of its best weapon to combat international violent extremism. It was a conspiracy to rob Pakistan of its best hope to establish a fully functional democracy, he added.
He said that government is determined to expose and punish in accordance with the law, the conspirators and perpetrators of the crime and they cannot and will not go unpunished.
The President emphasised that those who assassinated her may have succeeded in eliminating her physically, but the ideas and ideals of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto shall never be killed.
"Let there be no doubt or mistake about it," the President said and added "May the soul of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and that of all martyrs who laid down their lives for the cause, rest in eternal peace."