ISLAMABAD: PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari has called for punishing the elements that have abrogated and subverted the Constitution.

“The sanctity of the Constitution demands that we not only act upon it in letter and spirit and jealously safeguard it but also to punish those treasonous elements that have abrogated and subverted this foundational document of the state, the basic social contract between the state and citizens and the glue that binds its federating units,” Mr Zardari said in a message released by the party on Saturday on the eve of the Constitution Day.

“It is a national disgrace that a dictator abrogated the Constitution in 1977, later ridiculed it as ‘a mere 15-page document’ that he boasted could be torn at will,” he said, adding: “Tearing the Constitution is tearing the soul of the nation. Ridiculing it is ridiculing the people.”

Mr Zardari said those who tore and ridiculed the Constitution were the traitors of the nation.

“Dictators and usurpers must be punished; [and] they will be in the fullness of time,” he said.

The former president commended the Senate for taking lead in observing April 10 as the Constitution Day. This was the day, when the National Assembly had passed the present Constitution in 1973.

In a message, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani said that endeavours of the architects of 1973 Constitution and the members of that National Assembly were remembered and appreciated for overcoming all the challenges and providing the nation with a document that provided provincial autonomy and secured fundamental rights.

“It is a day to renew our pledge that we will continue to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and will countervail all efforts that are aimed at sabotaging its democratic, parliamentary and federal character,” he added.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, in his message, said that the supremacy of Constitution was their ultimate destination that guaranteed democracy, fundamental rights and security for each and every citizen of the state.

He said the sanctity of this sacred document was immense which must be upheld at any cost. He lamented that periodic interventions by undemocratic forces by holding the Constitution in abeyance set back the dream of a strong federation and democratic culture. Such misadventures were proved detrimental to state of security, human rights and development of the country, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2016