A Pakistan Peoples Party worker lights candles outside Karachi Press Club on the eve of slain party leader Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary. PHOTO: ONLINE
SUKKUR: In defiance of the cold weather, thousands of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers from across the country thronged Garhi Khuda Bux to pay homage to Benazir Bhutto on Tuesday to mark her ninth death anniversary.
A large number of tents were set up outside the Bhutto family mausoleum to provide shelter to the visiting jiyalas who began arriving in the town from Monday night and kept pouring in till the afternoon. Varying sizes of groups entered the locale holding flags aloft and chanting slogans of 'jeay Bhutto [long live Bhutto]' and 'zinda hai bibi, zinda hai [Bibi is alive]'.
Strict security measures were adopted inside and around the venue, with 40 walk-through security gates installed to screen visitors. The security situation was supervised by 32 SSPs and around 7,000 policemen, Rangers personnel, officials of the Sindh police's special branch, female police constables and others were on duty. All the vehicles entering the venue were searched thoroughly by the Ranger personnel and policemen before allowing them to enter the parking area.
The venue of the rally was buzzing with excitement and participants chanted slogans and remembered the charisma of the former prime minister. In the morning, party workers and leaders participated in a Quran Khawani at the Bhutto family's ancestral mausoleum and offered prayers. Later free food was distributed amongst the visitors.
Emotional scenes were observed at Benazir's grave, where a large number of workers, mainly women, kissed the marble with tears running down their cheeks. Besides distributing food among the people, sabeels were established at many places to provide water and tea to the visiting jiyalas.
While some cried in remembrance of Benazir's tragic death, others celebrated her life by dancing to party songs and welcomed her husband, party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, who missed last year's event.
Top party leadership including chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari along with his sisters Bakhtawar and Aseefa and their father reached Naudero House on Monday evening. Strict security measures were taken at Naudero House and nobody except for members of the central executive committee and central and provincial leadership were allowed to enter the house.
Late Monday night the officials of the special branch cleared the mausoleum, after which Zardari visited, laid floral wreath and offered prayers.
Other events
Like many other places in Sindh, Pakistan Sweet Home in Sukkur hosted a Quran Khawani for Benazir, which was attended by leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, PPP Punjab presiednt Qamar Zaman Kaira, MNAs Nadeem Afzal Chan, Faisal Karim Kundi, Akhunzada Chatan, former chairperson of the Pakistan Baitul Mal Zamarud Khan and others. The orphans lit earthen lamps to pay homage to Benazir and later Shah distributed gifts among the children.
Talking to the media, he said, "Bilawal has to take over the reins of the party and for this he have to be in the parliament". When he comes to parliament he will be the leader of the opposition, said Shah. Kaira made it clear that the deadline for accepting the party's four demands has expired and the federal government has to accept their demands.
"If our demands are not met then we will let the government know what real opposition is about," he warned. Kaira said the four demands put forward by Bilawal are not for the good of the PPP but rather for the people of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2016.
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