P E S H A W A R - The sweet memories of charismatic leader Benazir Bhutto, who attained the distinction of being the first elected women Prime Minister of the Muslim world and twice premier of Pakistan, are still alive in the hearts and minds of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who remembered her as the true champion of democracy, a role model and harbinger of peace. Like other provinces, the people, politicians, civil society, lawyers, human rights activists, and workers of the Pakistan People’s Party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have paid glowing tributes to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed on the occasion of her 15th death anniversary observed with great respect and admiration on Tuesday. Besides collective prayers, Quran Khawani and condolence references were also held by PPP workers in all districts of KP where speakers paid glowing tributes to her political and democratic services besides sacrifices for the nation. On December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a gun and bomb attack after addressing a mammoth election rally at historic Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi that left the entire nation in endless mourning and deep shock. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, 54, was one of the very few international-stature personalities, who embraced martyrdom while being surrounded by a sea of supporters outside Liaquat Bagh and immortalised forever. A leader of a great quality of head and heart with a taste of political know-how, Benazir Bhutto had left a luxurious life and came to Pakistan after an exile on October 18, 2007, with an aim to rid the country of dictatorship and put it on the path of democracy, peace, and development. Despite severe threats to her life, the daughter of one of Pakistan’s most charismatic politicians and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had followed the rich tradition of her illustrious family and did not flee danger, but instead embraced martyrdom by not bowing to pessimists and dictatorial forces. On October 18, 2007, when she arrived in Karachi from Dubai, hundreds of thousands of her supporters from across Pakistan thronged the port city to welcome her beloved leader. Even the deadly explosion at Karsaz Karachi’s rally where about 140 people were killed and more than 450 wounded could not deter her from political struggle as the celebrated leader knew that only democracy was a remedy to the topsy-turvy setup of the country, elimination of terrorism and solution of peoples’ problems at that time. “Death was meaningless for Benazir Bhutto Shaheed as she came to Pakistan for the socioeconomic emancipation of poor and underprivileged, revival of genuine democracy and peace in the country despite severe threats to her life,” said Nighat Orakzai, MPA, while talking to APP. “BB Shaheed lived for people and died for them,” she said, adding Benazir Bhutto always thought about the welfare of 222 million Pakistanis and openly condemned terrorism that cost her life.” She said Benazir Bhutto was martyred when she tried to restore genuine democracy and peace in Pakistan besides bringing Muslim countries and the west closer. Nighat said the imperialists and inimical forces removed her from the political scene in a bid to destabilise Pakistan and keep Pakhtoons backward. “Benazir Bhutto Shaheed loved Islam from the core of her heart and had great regard for eastern values and culture. In spite of her education in top universities and colleges of the west and being two-times elected PM, she upheld the eastern traditions and did not deviate from the Islamic teachings,” she said. Hamza Khan, PML-N Nowshera President, said Benazir Bhutto’s thinking was democratic and progressive as she wanted to strengthen democracy in Pakistan. He said BB kept the torch of democracy alive by shedding her blood at Liaquat Bagh. Professor Dr A H Hilali, former chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, said that Benazir Bhutto’s assassination was a great loss to the country as she was the identity of Pakistan. He said her assassination had saddened entire progressive and democratic leaders in the world. He said that forces loyal to democracy should now learn that wrangling between the political parties would only strengthen the hands of anti-democratic forces and that our past 75 years’ parliamentary history was replete with such happenings as is evident from the murder of first prime minister Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan at Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi in 1951. Malik Azmat Khan, former Minister of State and PPP leader said that ‘Shaheed-e-Jamhooriat’ considered KP as her second home and loved Pashtuns as she knew that they had greatly suffered during the war on terror.