The Monument for Unsung Heros

The high relief shows the struggle of Pakistani people for democracy. Every time military rule was enforced and dictatorship usurped the rights of people, the brave people of Pakistan used every forum to protest at the risk of losing everything they had. They faced intimidation, torture and death but they did not stop until they reclaimed democracy.

Mian Raza Rabbani was one of these political activist, who considered democracy, or rule of the people, over any other system. He was tortured and kept in jail in total for about two and a half years. There were many other politicians, union leaders, writers, poets, lawyers, political party workers, educationists, artists, performing artists and journalists who were beaten up, jailed, tortured and killed in the struggle. But Pakistani people did not give. Chairman Senate of Pakistan wanted to be sure and acknowledge the sacrifice of the people of Pakistan and continues struggle. It is these unsung heroes that the Chairman wanted to be acknowledged. He also wanted to show the guests coming to the Parliament building that we the people of Pakistan have earned what we have through a long struggle and sacrifices.

These Panels show case :

• People faced ban on political parties, censorships of books, ban on producing and distributing written materials, but they still found ways to communicating and mobilizing for democracy.
• People of Pakistan took to the streets for restoration of democracy. This included women labourers, farmers and lawyers. Public rallies were attacked but brave people did not give up.
• Political activists facing oppression by the state; faced police confrontations, jail, torture in the dungeons of the Lahore Fort and other cells.
• Journalists were at the forefront of these struggles and bore the brunt of it. Newspapers were banned, public gatherings were restricted but people used strategies to continue the struggle. Censored news paper articles were printed as blank spaces being more powerful than the words for public.
• Peasants and factory workers organized on platforms and created a power of the masses against dictators and oppressors to bring the rule of people to their country.