The blood will be donated for the soldiers who are currently involved in the Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
Hundreds of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders, workers and supporters - or 'jiyalay' as they prefer to be called - converged at various blood camps organised by the party in Karachi to mark Benazir Bhutto's 61st birthday.
Party leaders, such as Owais Muzaffar, Qadir Patel, Jameel Soomro, Javed Nagori and others also donated their blood and talked of the party leader who twice served as the country's prime minister.
According to the party spokesperson, the blood will be donated for the soldiers who are currently involved in the Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan. "Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for this country and today, we are donating blood to reaffirm her commitment to democracy and a prospering Pakistan," he said.
"The blood donation camp will run for two days and the target is to collect 30,000 blood pints," said PPP MPA Owais Muzaffar, while speaking to the media after donating blood at Bilawal House. "Except for this blood donation drive, no major event is being organised to celebrate her birthday."
According to PPP Karachi division president, Qadir Patel, around 10 blood camps have been set up in various parts of the city, including the PPP secretariat, the Jinnah Hospital, the KPT Ground, the Lyari Kakri Ground and the Walika Hospital in SITE area.
The party have ensured that blood donations are collected responsibly. PPP's Najmi Alam said that a lot of people have been turned away as they were found to be suffering from diseases such as hepatitis.
Earlier, the Sindh government had announced that they, along with PPP's Peoples Doctors Forum, will approach Guinness Book of World Records authorities to visit Pakistan and examine how people are donating blood to see if a world record can be created.
Benazir's birthday was celebrated in all districts of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Bhanbore, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana. Party leaders and workers cut birthday cakes and donated blood, while Quran khwani was also held at several places.
PPP leader Sassui Palijo, who donated blood in Thatta, also confirmed that the donations will be given to the soldiers of the Pakistan Army. "The day reminds us of the sacrifices and the life-long struggle of Shaheed Bibi for democracy," said minister Jam Khan Shoro in Hyderabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2014.
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'Hero worship' must end and 'hero respect' must commence. There are better leaders in Pakistan than the past or present political leaders. There are, in social, commercial, medical, and security professions who remain unsung. Start showing respect for them. These are but a few. Salams
PPP is a an old lady breathing its last breathe.