ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said that the Government did not want clash of the institutions and deemed that “democracy is the best revenge”. Speaking at the 21st All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) Award distribution ceremony at Awan-e-Sadr, he said, “We strengthened the institutions by giving more powers to the Parliament and we are willing to work and fight for a better democracy.
” The President said that the PPP did not take the path of aggression after the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto because it could have threatened the institutions.“ I am here for a larger cause to fight the mindset—which is definitely going to do our coming generations if not fought now,” the President said.He said,” we will have to take this challenge”. It is the mindset which took away Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti and thousands of Pakistanis. We are not against Mardressah but we are against the mindset.”The President said the Federation would file a reference in the Supreme Court to revisit the judgement of the “judicial murder” of former prime minister Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Pakistan People’s Party has decided to get the case of “judicial murder” of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reopened, he added.Constitutional experts have termed the execution of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) illegal and a judicial murder.He said that “it is in the interest of democracy and we do not ask any body to be punished”.President Zardari said the first PPP government of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in 1988 had put the country on the road to democracy and freedom of press. She lift a ban on import of printing paper and made it free for every body, he added.He said Mohtarma Benazir had introduced SPTN, CNN, BBC, optic-fibre, which were revolutionary ideas in those days and the government did not use it for personal propaganda or projection but only used it for information and entertainment.She wanted to open up Pakistan, the President said and added the PPP was never afraid of criticism and wanted to give more freedom of expression to the people.The President invited the elders, media and younger generation for dialogue, adding it is the only way for resolution of problems.The President asked the APNS to set up a body for rationalizing the distribution of advertisements to media.Later, the President gave away awards to the APNS members, journalists, advertising agencies for achievements in their respective fields.
The President gave away life-time achievement awards to senior members of APNS, Majid Nizami, Chief Editor, Nawa-i-Waqt group of publication, Syed Faseih Iqbal, Publisher/chief editor, Daily Balochistan Times/Daily Zamana, Sharif Farooq, Publisher/ chief editor, Daily Jehad, Mustafa Sadiq, Publisher/chief editor, Daily Wifaq, Mahmood ul Aziz, Chief Editor Monthly Pictorial News Review, Masudah M. Ahmed , Publisher, Monthly Teenager, Prof.S.B.Hassan, Publisher,Monthly Investment and Marketing.The Address of Welcome was presented by President APNS, Hameed Haroon.Journalists awards in respective categories were given to Ms. Ayesha Siddiqa,Monthly Newsline for best investigative report, Talib Qizilbash, M. Newsline for best investigative report, Razia Fareed, Daily Jang for best investigative report (Environmental/Conservation Gender), Huma Yousuf, Daily Dawn for best column award in English, Yasir Pirzada, Daily Jang for best column award in Urdu, Manzoor Mirani, Daily Kawish for best column (regional language), Maheen Bashir Adamjee and Ms. Zara Farooqui, for best feature(English/jointly), Ghulam Mohiuddin, Daily Jang for best feature in Urdu, Humerah Noor, Ibrat Magazine for best feature award (regional language), Abdul Karim Rathore, Daily The News for best cartoon and Shafiq Awan, Daily Times for best photograph.In advertising fields, Inam Akbar, Midas for best business performance, Ch. Irshad for client performance, Sohail Kissat for best newspaper advertisement, Shaikh Imran Irshad for best public service campaign, Jamil Baig, Ali Mandviwala and Imran Sayyed.The President congratulated the awardees for the their achievements. – APP
