TIMERGARA: Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari has said that leaders and workers of his party have given many sacrifices for restoration of democracy and establishing the rule of law in the country and they would not let anyone to derail democracy.

He said that some elements had been active to derail democratic government in the country, but his party would never allow anyone to do so.

“We want democracy and political stability in Pakistan. We will not let anyone to derail democracy,” Senator Farhatullah Babar quoted Mr Zardari as saying while reading out the message he had sent on the occasion of the first death anniversary of Lower Dir PPP leader Zahir Shah at Odigram here on Wednesday.

Zahir Shah was killed in a bomb blast in Maidan on May 7 last year during an election campaign for his brother Mohammad Zamin.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Senator Farhatullah Babar, spokesman for Mr Zardari, Senator Ahmad Hassan Khan; PPP provincial president Khan Zada Khan, Najmuddin Khan, Mohammad Zamin, Liaquat Shabab and others.

They criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said that despite the passage of one year no mega project was started in the province. They said that the government had failed to bring any positive change in the governance and development.

A large number of party workers from different parts of Lower Dir and former ministers, including Azmat Khan, Zahir Shah and Humayun Khan, attended the anniversary.

The PPP leaders said that many party leaders and workers sacrificed their lives while battling for restoration of democracy in the country. They paid tribute to late Zahir Shah of Dir and said he sacrificed his life to free the area of militants. They said that hidden hands had conspired to block the way of PPP candidate in Maidan. They demanded a judicial inquiry to probe into the killing of Mr Shah during electioneering.

EDUCATION: The global action week for education was also observed in Lower Dir to highlight the importance of education.

On Wednesday, social activists, students, lawyers and traders took out a rally from Balambat and gathered in front of Timergara press club. Carrying banners and placards, the participants chanted slogans for imparting education to all children.

The speakers said that after the passage of 18th amendment, the provincial governments should have taken effective steps for improvement of education, but they failed to do so. They demanded of the government to take steps for ensuring 100 per cent literacy in the country.