Islamabad, Jan 5: The Simla Accord inked by late Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had created the longest spell of peace in South Asia and the Pakistan government will follow his model of negotiations to usher in lasting peace and stability in the region, President Asif Ali Zardari said today.
“The Simla Accord that brought the longest spell of peace between India and Pakistan also stands as a lasting monument to Shaheed Bhutto's negotiating skills,” Zardari said in a message to mark Bhutto's 84th birth anniversary.
“The present democratic government also believes in pursuing the model of negotiations for lasting peace and stability in the region,” he underlined.
Zardari said the best tribute to the PPP founder was to “follow in his footsteps, strengthen democracy...and empower the people by lifting them from hopelessness, poverty and deprivation”.
Bhutto believed in dialogue and negotiations, instead of force, to resolve the most complex political issues, he said.
“Employing negotiations as his principal tool he recovered the territory lost in 1971, brought back prisoners of war and prevented the war trials of our military officers to protect the country's honor and name,” he said, referring to the war with India that led to the creation of Bangladesh.
The 1972 accord laid down the principles that should govern the future relations between India and Pakistan following the war.
