ISLAMABAD: Even in death, Benazir Bhutto remains the biggest draw for supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party.
The PPP plans to gather at least one million people on the fourth death anniversary of its former leader, in what would be a defiant show of public power amid an apparent stand-off with the country’s security establishment.
Party leaders told The Express Tribune that President Asif Zardari is expected to deliver a fiery speech at the rally, which will take place at the Bhutto family’s mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bux. The content of the speech is likely to be a retort to those perceived as hatching conspiracies against the democratic government.
The leadership has reportedly directed all its MPAs and MNAs to bring at least 10,000 people from their districts for the anniversary on December 27.
The PPP’s president of its Punjab chapter, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, told The Express Tribune that “the death anniversary of the Shaheed BB will be attended by more than one million people from all across the country.”
While talking about participants from Punjab, he said “people from every village, town, tehsil and district will attend the anniversary and pray for BB.” He added that members from every rung of the organizational hierarchy will attend, including the party’s student federation, youth wing, labour wing and lawyer’s wing.
Responding to a question that the party had issued instructions to ensure a massive presence, Warraich said that “we have never used the occasion as a show of strength since people congregate and attend the prayers as per their reverence for the Shaheed BB.”
Senator Safdar Abbasi, a former confidant of Bhutto, said that he was unaware of the arrangements being made by the government with regard to the anniversary and added: “I will visit the mausoleum of Shaheed BB.”
“No one can stop me from visiting the mausoleum even though I would not be attending the Central Executive Meeting of the party since my membership has been suspended,” he said.
The PPP official said that the top leadership of the government’s allied parties – the Awami National Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – had also promised to send their workers to take part in the rally.
“It will be a show of power in favor of democracy… we don’t think that a political party is under threat. Rather, in our view it is the elected parliament which is being pushed against the wall. So, we have a point in attending the event,” said an ANP leader. (WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING FROM QAMAR ZAMAN)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2011.
COMMENTS (14)
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For years these vaderays (landlords) have been ruling over the illiterate villagers and keeping them deprived of education so that they can continue their tyrannical regime.
May God protect Pakistan from dynasties.
Pakistan Peoples Party is the Biggest Party of Our Country And this Show of Power is Just to Shut-up all those whom say that Asif Zardari is Retired Hurt Asif Zardari stills owns the biggest Party of Pakistan Which Has it's Roots in Every U.C of Our Country
Waiting for that Spectacular Show Jiye Bhutto
The catch word here "Every Mna/Mpa has to BRING 10,000 people"
Says it all about their politics and power!
Everyday there is one rally.... No one is focusing on our economic development. They r ruining our country and still asking for our support... I will never attend that rally...
uneducated people whom are gonna go an attend this gathering of corroupt politicains whom have ruined our country i just we as a nation and open our eyes andreject them alltogether but its not peoples fault when they havent been provided education by these corroupt politicans so they can use them for occasion like these and to com in power !! Shame shame !!
The best tribute you can pay to this great daughter of Pakistan is to resolve that the present memogate tensions are peacefully diffused. Let everybody take a vow to kick corruption out of the country. Let everybody take a vow to make Pakistan a peace loving, peaceful and PROSPEROUR country. It is time to make friendly relations with Pakistan neighbours.
What did Benazir Bhutto and her regime deliver to the people? Governments are judged on how they deliver services like education, health, law and order, infrastructure. Like Nawaz she promised alot, had plenty time to deliver and delivered absolutely nothing.
PPP trolls out there what did Bhutto deliver? If you want to immortalize her then fine, but don't pretend she was a good leader of the country!! She was as useless as Zardari at governing. Zardari is a better politician, better at making deals but if they were to be judged by their ability to run the country then they are on par/about the same.
When nothing else goes their way.... take out the BHUTTO card
sad indeed
BiBi, humm shermandaa hein, tairay kaatal abhi tak zinda hein.. Translation: BiBi, we are ashamed; your murderers are still alive..
May God protect Pakistan from incompetent, corrupt, and greedy "leaders"... May God grant wisdom to Pakistanis to elect the competent and sincere leaders.
we love u bibi. Rest in peace.