ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: Former premier and Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has felicitated Christian community on the eve of Christmas.

In her message Ms Bhutto said: “I wish to felicitate Christians all over the world particularly our Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan on the auspicious occasion of Christmas.

“This day reminds us of the teaching of Jesus Christ (May Allah be pleased with him) who always spread the message of love, forgiveness and brotherhood among the people without any prejudice and discrimination”.

She reiterated that the PPP would continue to fight along with the Christian community for the rights of all the minorities and deprived people and for establishing a liberal and pluralistic society in which every citizen was allowed to vote irrespective of his/ her cast, creed and colour.

Ms Bhutto also reiterated that if the PPP came into power it would strive to restore the joint electorate system as envisaged in the 1973 Constitution.

“Disallowing the non-Muslims from voting freely along with the Muslim voters in the elections amounts to their disenfranchisement.

It also means surrendering before the extremists and encouraging them to foist their intolerant agenda on the people.

If this slide into the abyss of extremism is not halted Pakistan runs the risk of descending into chaos, lawlessness and anarchy”, she observed.

QUAID’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: The PPP chairperson also felicitated the nation on the Quaid’s birth anniversary and urged the people to forge unity in their ranks to restore the democracy in the country.

In her message on Monday, she said December 25 was a day of reaffirming dedication to the ideals and principles of the father the nation.

“But it also is a day of introspection and reflection to pause and ponder as to how far we have upheld the ideals and principles for which the Quaid created this homeland of ours”, she said.

Ms Bhutto said Quaid stood for constitutionalism, rule of law and respect for human rights. It is a sad thought that on his birthday this year, his ideals of a pluralistic society where every citizen has equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities irrespective of religion, sect, colour, race or creed is at stake.

She said Quaid stood for equality before law, but the rulers today were bending, breaking and making special laws with retrospective effect only to malign the genuine leaders of the masses.

The former prime minister warned that the country’s future would remain exposed to external and internal threats unless the rule of law took deep roots in the society and everyone was treated on equal basis.

As followers of the great leader, “let us pledge to pursue the ideals of rule of law and reject discrimination as a philosophy to govern”, she added.

Ms Bhutto condemned the politics of victimization and urged the people to “get united and not allow anyone to foist a totalitarian and dictatorial regime on the country”.