News Detail
Event Title: 5TH JULY A DARK DAY IN NATIONAL HISTORY; ERASERS OF CONSTITUTION REJECTED BY HISTORY: FORMER PM & CHAIRMAN SENATE YOUSAF RAZA GILANI
Event Date: 2026-07-05
Former Prime Minister and Chairman Senate of Pakistan,Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani, in his special message on the occasion of 5th July 1977, stated that this day will always be remembered as a 'Dark Day' (Yaum-e-Siyah) in the nation's history. He remarked that this was the day when the constitutional and democratic government of the country's first elected Prime Minister, Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was unlawfully overthrown.
In his statement, the Former Prime Minister and Chairman Senate emphasized that the unconstitutional act of July 5th was not merely the end of a government, but a fatal blow to the Constitution, the federation, and democratic institutions of Pakistan. He highlighted that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the nation the consensus 1973 Constitution, which serves as the ultimate guarantee for the country’s survival and security, and suspending it pushed the nation into the darkness of dictatorship.
Yousaf Raza Gillani paid rich tributes to the monumental sacrifices made by Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for democracy and public rights. He stated that the leadership and workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have historically endured floggings, imprisonments, and laid down their lives for the restoration and survival of democracy.
The Chairman Senate further added:
> "On this day, we must reiterate our resolve that the supremacy of the Parliament, the sovereignty of the Constitution, and the sanctity of the people's vote will never be compromised. Those who launched a midnight assault on democracy have faded into the oblivion of history, while the name and philosophy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto live on in the hearts of millions."
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The Chairman Senate and Former Prime Minister concluded by asserting that the sole path to national stability and progress lies in a strong parliament and uninterrupted democratic continuity, reassuring that the Senate of Pakistan will continue to play its pivotal role in strengthening the federation and upholding constitutional supremacy.