KARACHI - Pakistan People’s Party will observe the 36th death anniversary of its late leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on April 4 (today) while the party leadership had announced to cancel the public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bux due to heavy rain in Larkana.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh government declared April 4. It shall be observed by all the workers in the province.
According to party officials, the PPP had cancelled its public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bux due to severe weather conditions in Larkana, however, a small gathering of the party’s office-bearers, members of assemblies would be held at the Naudero House where PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will address the party loyalists.
According to sources, the party leadership had asked the rallies coming from Karachi and other parts of the country to return back as due to severe weather conditions, they could have to face difficulties during their visit to the graves of Bhutto family. Despite this announcement, the PPP loyalists had refused to halt their journey as they were of the opinion that these small hurdles could not deter their love for their late leader.
Talking to The Nation, PPP information secretary Manzoor Abbas said despite heavy rainfall their rally led by him, Habib Khan and Adviser to Sindh CM, Shahjahan Baloch had arrived Larkana to pay homage to their beloved leader. “Although the party leadership had announced to cancel the public gathering but we will visit the graveyard of Bhutto family on Saturday to show our commitment with the leadership.” The party activists had refused to return to Karachi without paying a visit to the grave.
Similarly, a delegation led by PPP District East leader Ali Shad had also left for Larkana after the announcement of cancellation of the public gathering with Shad saying that they could not cancel their visit as being a loyalist of Bhutto. It is their obligation and tradition to visit the graveyard on the death anniversary.
Meanwhile, sources privy to the development of the proceedings of the PPP public gathering said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had to address the party gathering through a televised speech from London, however, after cancellation of the gathering, the speech has also been cancelled.
Moreover, in his message, Asif Ali Zardari asked the democracy loving people to rededicate themselves to the ideals of democracy. “To take forward the mission of empowering the citizens, I urge the people to freely and fearlessly choose their representatives in the forthcoming local bodies’ election and carry forward the process of empowering people at the grass-root level.”
Zardari said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the nation the gifts of unanimous democratic Constitution and a peaceful nuclear programme that strengthened the national defence. “This twin legacy of Bhutto must be protected at all costs,” he said.
“Bhutto not only awakened the people but also gave them hope. He made the people of Pakistan realise that they alone were the fountain of all political power and that power does not come from the barrel of the gun. It is this realisation that has not permitted the dictatorship to take roots in the country. Indeed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto stands tall as a beacon of light, hope and inspiration for the people.
Zardari said Bhutto had left deep footprints in history. He strode on the national scene like a colossus. It is a measure of his greatness that his killers have become a talk of the past but he lives in the hearts and minds of the people, he said.