Death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto being observed today

ISLAMABAD: The 14th death anniversary of former prime minister and slain Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto is being observed today.

During her campaign for the 2008 general elections, Benazir, along with 23 people, was assassinated in a suicide bombing and shooting incident, on December 27, 2007, in Liaquat National Bagh, Rawalpindi.

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Supporters and fans of Benazir are set to observe this day with special prayers and events in her remembrance across the country. Quran and Fatiha Khawani will also be held at her mausoleum at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in Larkana.

Meanwhile, PPP is also holding special prayer ceremonies across the country for the late leader. A 60-foot-wide stage, decorated with party flags, banners and life-size portraits of Benazir and other leaders of the party, has been set up at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh where the party leaders will address a large public gathering today.

Tributes are pouring in to remember Benazir on her death anniversary, with many people expressing their sincere emotions.

“Remember, remember, the 27th of December. Broken heart #salaambenazir,” said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his message on Twitter.

Remember, remember, the 27th of December.💔 #salaambenazir pic.twitter.com/wplwuCyiN8

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) December 26, 2021

Senior PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the martyrdom of Benazir was the darkest day in the history of the PPP and Pakistan.

“The life of Bibi Shaheed is a story of a long struggle. She suffered the painful eras of martial laws and kept ‘democracy is the best revenge as her philosophy,” he said in his video message.

“There came a time when Bibi forgot all the sorrows and troubles and she made the ‘Charter of Democracy’ with Nawaz Sharif. Today, even though there is a weak democracy in Pakistan, but it is the vision of Benazir Bhutto. Now let Bilawal Bhutto carry the same flag. Let’s strengthen his hands.”

ایک وقت آیا جب بی بی نے سارے دُکھ اور تکلیفیں بھول کہ نواز شریف کے ساتھ ملکر چارٹر آف ڈیموکریسی کیا٬ آج پاکستان کے اندر ایک کمزور ڈیموکریسی ہی سہی جو چل رہی ہے وہ بینظیر بھٹو کا ویژن ہے٬ اب وہی جھنڈا لیکر بلاول بھٹو چلے ہیں آئیے انکے ہاتھ مظبوط کریں
2/2 pic.twitter.com/5njW3FfQkY

— Qamar Zaman Kaira (@QamarKairaPPP) December 26, 2021

Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab also shared an old picture of Benazir, sitting beneath a portrait of former PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with the hashtags #SalaamBenazir #WohLarkiLalQalandarThi.

#SalaamBenazir #WohLarkiLalQalandarThi pic.twitter.com/yIK1meZUZ0

— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) December 27, 2021

Sindh Minister for Information and Labour Saeed Ghani wrote Punjabi poetry in her memory.

ظلم دیاں زنجیراں توڑن,

مظلوماں دے رشتے جوڑن,

دکھ دے دریاواں چوں گذر کے,

اپنی جاں تلی تے دھرکے,

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بھٹو دی بیٹی آئی سی, انج جاں وی نذر چڑھائی سی,

سارے جگ وچ پئی دھائی سی بھٹو دی بیٹی آئی سی#WohLarkiLalQalandarThi pic.twitter.com/9sOHchtHmg

— Senator Saeed Ghani (@SaeedGhani1) December 27, 2021

#WohLarkiLalQalandarThi pic.twitter.com/lTxc3Tncll

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— Murad Ali Shah (@MuradAliShahPPP) December 26, 2021

بی بی بےنظیربھٹو کو مسلسل جان سے مارنے کی اطلاعات ملتی رہی مگراسنے بہادری،جانفشانی کے ساتھ مشن جاری رکھی، یہاں تک کہ DGISIندیم تاج نے شھادت کی رات بی بی کواطلاع دی کہ بندے مارنے کیلئے پہنچ چکے ہیں۔موت سے پہلے موت کی خبر بھی انکو روک نہ سکی، جلسے میں گئی اور واپسی پر شھیدکردیگئی pic.twitter.com/fTxDVsHHT4

— Mian Iftikhar Husain (@MianIftikharHus) December 26, 2021

“14 years ago, Shaheed Benazir gave a clear roadmap for fighting violent extremism…Pakistan should have stayed the course, not proposed forgiving terrorists,” said PPP’s Sherry Rehman.

The PPP Punjab will also organise a central ceremony at its offices in Lahore, Rawalpindi and South Punjab to pay tributes to Benazir Bhutto for her services for democracy.

Read more: Did you know that who prepared the late Benazir Bhutto on her wedding day?

Talking to media during his visit to Ghari Khuda Bakhsh a day earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had said that tight security arrangements had been made to meet any eventuality.