By Xinhua
Islamabad : Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto said Saturday that extremism was on the rise in Pakistan because of the dictatorship.
“Extremism grows in dictatorship. A handful of extremists hold the majority to hostage,” Benazir told a news conference at her home district of Larkana in the southern province of Sindh.
She said that no one should have their own army, adding that incidents of lawlessness, gun running and narcotics smuggling were increasing in the country.
Bhutto said democracy was the only solution to all problems, adding that the people are empowered only in a democratic system.
Meanwhile, in a statement, she condemned the bomb attack on a convoy of the security forces in Swat in northwestern Pakistan that killed 30 soldiers and left dozens injured as a “despicable act of terrorism”.
“Our thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with those who laid down their lives, or were wounded and to their families,” she said.
“They made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty and deserve the respect and admiration of all of us.”
She said that the people who planned the terrorist attack of Oct 19 in Karachi or on the convoy of the security forces in Swat Thursday were anti-people forces damaging the cause of the citizens of Pakistan and were using the name of Islam for advancing their own agenda.
Bhutto said that there must be zero tolerance for acts of terror and militancy “that kill poor people, working classes, middle classes of our country”.