LARKANA   -  The 13th martyrdom anniversary of slain Chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto was observed here on Sunday with great zeal and respect, renewing the pledge to make Pakistan stronger and viable in all aspects.

Qura’an Khawani and Fateha Khawani were held in every corner of the country for the departed soul of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.

People from all walks of life in their messages on the occasion paid rich tributes to Shaheed Bhutto for her services for the cause of poor and downtrodden people and for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and restoration of democracy in the country.

The main death anniversary function was held at Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto about 28kms off here. On this occasion Qura’an Khawani was also held at the mazar of Benazir Bhutto, in Garhi Khuda Bhutto (Larkana). Free food (lunger) was distributed among the people.

In this connection, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Rehman Malik, Sherry Rehman, President PPP Punjab Qamar Zaman Kaira, Former Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, President PPP Sindh Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Khan Durrani, senators, provincial ministers also visited graves of the slain chairperson of PPP Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, founder chairman of PPP Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and others. 

They placed a floral wreath at the grave and offered Fateha. Besides leaders, workers of PDM also visited the grave of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and also placed a floral wreath at the grave and offered fateha.

The central leaders, leaders and workers of PPPP from all over the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Areas, AJK were also among those who placed floral wreaths and offered fateha on Shaheed Leaders graves in Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto.

Besides, Senators, MNAs, MPAs belongs to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Federal Council (F.C) of PPPP also visited the mazars of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, Shaheed Z.A Bhutto and offered fateha and placed floral wreaths.

They also visited the grave of Late Begum Nusrat Bhutto and placed the floral wreaths and offered fateha.

They also visited the graves of her brother’s Late Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Late Mir Shahnawaz Bhutto, laid floral wreaths and offered fateha.

The President PPP AJK, Central leaders of PPP AJK and other PPP leaders and workers from AJK went to the mazars of their leader Shaheed Z.A. Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, laid floral wreaths and offered fateha on Thursday.

The central leaders, leaders and workers of PPP from all over the country, including Gilgit Baltistan, Northern Areas, AJK were also among those who placed floral wreaths and offered fateha on Shaheed Leaders graves in Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto.

Workers and leaders and workers of sister’s organizations of PPP besides Bhutto’s admirers arrives Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto from all over the Country and laid floral wreaths and offered fateha at the mazar of their leader. Caravans of peoples kept flowing in here since Saturday evening to participate in the death anniversary rally and started departing after the rally was over.

The coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be followed on the occasion.

The programme of the anniversary started from a Mushaira. The prominent poets from Sindh, Punjab and other parts of the country also paid tributes to Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto in poetic form.

Chairman of PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Haji Madad Ali Jatak, Syed Murad Ali Shah and other senior leaders of PPP addressed a public meeting outside mazar of Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bux on Sunday to pay homage to his services for the country, democratic order and rights of the masses.

Due to ill health, former president and co-chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari also addressed the rally via video link.

They reiterated their pledge to carry forward the mission for which the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto laid down his life.

For the first time, along with PPP leaders, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) central leaders Maryam Nawaz, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, Amir Hyder Hoti, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and other party leaders also addressed the people at Garhi Khuda Bux.

Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto created awareness among the masses about their rights and PPP leadership always struggled to strengthen democracy in the country.

They paid rich tributes to Shaheed Benazir and said that party would keep raising the voice for the welfare of a common man.

They also paid rich tributes to the Shaheed Chairperson of PPP Benazir Bhutto of her great scarification only for the survival of the poor people.

Ms. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Ms. Faryal Talpur, MNA Nafeesa Shah central and provincial leaders, senators, MNAs, MPAs and the leaders and workers of PDM also attended the public gathering.

Two-minute silence was observed to pay homage to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on her 13th death anniversary at 5.20 p.m. at a public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto. On the occasion, Collective prayers was also offered for the departed soul and paid rich tributes to the slain chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.

People’s Doctors Forum (PDF) Larkana district, District Health Department Larkana and CMC Hospital Larkana have established free medical camp to provide medical assistance to the participants of the death anniversary.

Ambulances and fire tenders were also deployed and first aid camps set up.

Additional Inspector General Police Sindh had established a base camp in Naudero to monitor the security arrangements.

About vehicles and motorcycles and mobiles of Rangers and 200 of police were patrolling the area and senior police officers were looking after the security, sources said, adding that police had set up pickets along the roads leading to Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto to guide the caravans and clear the roads. Strict security arrangements were made for the occasion and about 8000 personnel of Sindh Police and 300 personnel of Rangers were deployed at the mazar and the roads leading to it. On the occasion, strict security arrangements were made.

The security arrangements were intensified, with heavy deployment of Police and Rangers. Wing Commander Shahbaz Rangers Larkana, DIG Police Larkana Zone, DIG Police Special Branch, DIG Police Traffic, SSP Larkana and other senior police officers were supervising the security arrangements vigilantly.