First Lady of Pakistan Asifa Bhutto Zardari appealed to young Pakistanis to never allow anyone to exploit their faith, frustration or aspirations to spread hatred and violence. On the 19th Anniversary of the Karsaz Tragedy on October, 18, 2026, she said,”
‘Nineteen years ago, on this day, hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis gathered in Karachi to welcome my mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, home after years of exile. “They came with dreams of democracy, peace and a better future. That night, terrorists turned their celebration of hope into a scene of death and destruction, taking the lives of more than 180 innocent people and leaving hundreds injured.”
She said, “ Today, I remember those brave men and women with profound grief, gratitude and pride. They were not merely political workers. They were fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, ordinary Pakistanis who believed that their country deserved a future free from fear and violence. Their families carry the pain of that terrible night even today.”
“My mother knew the dangers she faced, yet she refused to surrender to the forces of extremism. She believed that terrorism could not be allowed to dictate Pakistan’s destiny or silence the democratic aspirations of its people. She survived Karsaz, but just seventy days later, terrorism took her life too,” she added.
Asifa Bhutto said, “Today, I wish to speak particularly to the young women and men of Pakistan, who represent the overwhelming majority of our population. Most of you were children or had not even been born when the Karsaz tragedy occurred. Yet its lessons belong to your generation, because the future for which so many people sacrificed their lives is now in your hands.”
“Violent extremism begins long before a bomb explodes or a gun is fired. It begins when hatred replaces reason, when intolerance silences dialogue, and when differences of faith, ethnicity, language or political opinion become excuses for violence,” she continued.
She said, “Question those who preach intolerance. Reject those who glorify terrorism. Do not allow social media to become a vehicle for poisonous propaganda, incitement and the recruitment of young minds into extremism.”
“Our faith teaches us the sanctity of human life. Our Constitution promises dignity and equality to every citizen. Our diversity is not a weakness to be exploited, but a strength to be cherished,” she noted.
She said, “The answer to extremism is not hatred in return. It is courage, education, opportunity, justice and an unwavering commitment to peaceful coexistence.
Our young people deserve classrooms instead of conflict, employment instead of exploitation, and a future shaped by their talents rather than by fear. As a nation, we owe them the education, opportunities and confidence to fulfil their potential.”
She said, “As we remember the martyrs of Karsaz, we must also remember every innocent citizen, child, teacher, police officer and member of our security forces who has fallen victim to terrorism across Pakistan.”
She asked the young people of Pakistan to honour these sacrifices not only through remembrance, but through their everyday actions. “Stand against hatred. Respect differences. Defend the dignity of others. Raise your voices against violence and injustice. Make your schools, universities, communities and digital spaces places of understanding rather than division.
Let the generation that inherited the pain of terrorism become the generation that builds a Pakistan free from its shadow.”
She said, “For me, Karsaz is both a deeply personal loss and a national reminder that peace, democracy and human dignity must never be taken for granted.”
She said, “May Allah Almighty grant the martyrs of Karsaz the highest place in Jannah and give strength to their families.”
“May their sacrifice continue to inspire a peaceful, tolerant, democratic and prosperous Pakistan,” she concluded.