A large number of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers visited the Liaqat Bagh on Saturday and offered Fateha at the assassination site of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the PPP assassinated leader and former two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988-1990 and 1993-1996). They paid homage and relived the memory of their leader who was shot dead on Dec 27, 2007 18 years ago at the same place in a public rally.
On Saturday apart from the local leadership of the PPP and some former councilors and town nazims, no prominent leader of the party, provincial or national level, turned up at the site to express solidarity with the overwhelming number of mourners and workers who had come from far off for their beloved leader.
One of the reasons for the absence of major national or provincial leader may be attributed to the fact that the PPP workers and leaders from across the country had left for Naudero Garhi Khuda Bux to attend the public meeting addressed by President Asif Ali Zardari and the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The workers of the PPP renewed their commitment to the ideals of Benazir Bhutto, her strong belief in democracy, people’s sovereignty and rights for women and marginalized communities. Benazir Bhutto, said they, was live a guardian angel for the marginalized communities, women, non-Muslims and liberal classes.
While speaking on the occasion, the PPP local leaders emphasized that Benazir Bhutto’s struggle remained central to the party’s mission and urged the party leadership to recognize and respect the loyal party workers.
Banaras Choudhry, head of the Workers Union, addressed the gathering alongside Syed Masood Shah, advocate and divisional president of the Peoples Lawyers Forum, Amjad Butt, PPP spokesperson in Germany, and Raja Zaheer Iqbal. Former party officials including Nasser Mir and Chaudhry Nasser Qayyum also spoke, praising Benazir Bhutto’s historic service to democracy and human rights.
A number of local leaders and activists joined the commemoration, among them Raja Faiz Akbar, Azhar Khan, former councillor Munirullah Butt, former nazim Jahangir Butt, Saeed Akhtar, Falak Sher Lodhi, labour union representative Raja Abdul Majeed Javed Khan and others. Women leaders including former MLA Shehzadi Kausar Gilani, Gulnaz Badshah, Kausar Altaf and Shabana Ilyas attended with party workers to pay their respects.
At the assassination site, the mourners lit candles in memory of Benazir Bhutto and showered the site with flower petals. Workers stood together to salute her contributions to democratic stability and national defence, and vowed to carry forward Benazir Bhutto’s mission. A collective Fatiha was offered for the late leader and for ward committee officials and activists from Rawalpindi who were killed in the Liaquat Bagh tragedy.
The event concluded with distribution of langar to participants. Banaras Choudhry thanked those present for their participation and reiterated the call to honor committed party workers by giving them their rightful place and respect within the movement.
Meanwhile, PP Senator Sherry Rehman while paying rich tributes to Shaheed leader of the PPP said in a statement on X, “Benazir never wavered, she never compromised on her dreams for her beloved Pakistan. Despite all threats, risks and real dangers, she did what she believed in. Her courage and resilience define her as one of the greatest leaders the world saw.
