PPP Commemorates July 5 as Black Day, Condemns Zia’s Martial Law & Bhutto’s Judicial Murder

 

 

 

 

Lahore: In memory of the darkest day of July 5, 1977 in the political history of Pakistan, the Pakistan Peoples Party will observe Black Day today (July 5) with great simplicity out of respect for Muharram-ul-Haram. Pakistan Peoples Party Central Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza has said that 48 years ago today, on July 5, 1977, a dictator General Zia-ul-Haq overthrew the government of the country's elected Prime Minister *Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto*, inflicted bloodshed on democracy and imposed martial law, violating the constitution. A dictator dissolved the national and provincial assemblies on that day and imposed martial law. This move was not only a clear violation of the 1973 Constitution but also a desecration of the public mandate, which was justified by the Supreme Court in the name of the doctrine of necessity, which left a stain on constitutional history. He said that on the instructions of Pakistan Peoples Party Central Punjab President Raja Pervez Ashraf, all organizations, allied wings and ticket holders of Pakistan Peoples Party Central Punjab should organize their protest programs on the occasion of Black Day today (July 5, 2025) with simplicity but seriousness, wear black armbands, record statements against the violation of the constitution and renew their commitment to democratic values. Black flags will be hoisted on party offices and vehicles, while the party flag will be kept at half mast. He said that this is the tragic history that pushed Pakistan into the dark era of extremism, terrorism and dictatorship. Hassan Murtaza further said that the PPP remembers this day as an insult to democracy, violation of the constitution and a black chapter in national history. During Zia's rule, PPP workers, intellectuals and democrats were imprisoned, flogged and tortured, and Shaheed Bhutto was hanged in a fake case.