Karachi (Bureau Report):
The 18th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Shaheed Benazir Bhutto is being observed today across Pakistan. The Sindh government has announced a public holiday throughout the province, while strict security arrangements have been put in place at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, with more than 10,000 police personnel deployed.
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari visited Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, where she offered Fateha at the mausoleums of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi, Sindh Interior Minister Zia Lanjar, and other political leaders also reached Garhi Khuda Bakhsh to pay their respects.
PPP workers and supporters paid tribute to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, while a pedestrian caravan led by the Mayor of Sukkur departed for Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari are scheduled to address a public gathering there.
Meanwhile, party workers continued to arrive at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi—the site of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s assassination—where they offered Fateha and paid homage.
In his message on the occasion, President Asif Ali Zardari said that Benazir Bhutto’s life conveyed a powerful message of raising one’s voice for justice through peaceful means. He urged the nation to choose unity over hatred and democracy over revenge, adding that Benazir Bhutto stood firmly against sectarianism, intolerance, and hatred, and consistently raised her voice for minority rights.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his message, said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s life was a rare blend of courage and compassion. He stated that democracy in Pakistan would never surrender, emphasizing that Benazir Bhutto remained steadfast in her struggle for democracy until her last breath. He described her as a visionary and charismatic leader far ahead of her time, whose like is born only once in centuries. He added that she taught forgiveness over hatred and remained a strong advocate for democracy, marginalized communities, minority rights, and women’s empowerment.