Internews /Rawalpindi
Late former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was yesterday remembered by her millions of followers on her 12th death anniversary.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) held a public gathering last night in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh, where the former leader was killed in a gun and bomb attack on December 27, 2007.
Bhutto became the first female prime minister of Pakistan on December 2, 1988.
She was also the first woman to lead a Muslim state, and twice served as the prime minister of Pakistan.
The Sindh provincial government had announced a public holiday yesterday on account of the death anniversary of the former premier.
On Thursday the Lahore High Court (LHC)’s Rawalpindi Bench allowed the PPP to hold a jalsa at the historic venue of Liaquat Bagh to mark her death anniversary.
Initially, the district administration had refused to give permission to PPP to hold the rally, citing security concerns.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his message to mark the 12th death anniversary of his mother said that the people of Pakistan would never forget their brave leader, who he said sacrificed everything for the country and for the rights of its downtrodden.
He added that as a young daughter whose father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged, Bhutto fought bravely for the ideals her father died defending.
“She led the followers of prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto into an untiring struggle against the brutal tyrant in the shape of General Ziaul Haq.
“She suffered solitary confinement, imprisonments and forced exiles while fighting for restoration of democracy,” said Zardari.
The PPP chairman pointed out that Benazir defeated the dictatorship and was given power under compulsion after its remnants failed to completely hijack the 1988 general elections.
He added that programmes covering health, education, poverty eradication, women development and defence, launched by Bhutto put the country onto the path to progress and prosperity.
The party leader reiterated his commitment to his mother’s mission and pledged that he would continue the struggle with the support of masses and the party supporters.
He added that Bhutto would continue to live in the hearts and minds of the people, as her legacy would never be forgotten in the history of Pakistan and her struggle for democracy, human rights and peaceful society.
Born in Karachi on June 21, 1953, Bhutto was the eldest child of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who founded PPP.
She completed her early education in Pakistan and then went to United States for higher studies.
She graduated from Harvard University with a BA in comparative government.
Later, Bhutto completed a course in international law and diplomacy from Oxford University.
After she returned to Pakistan in 1977, she was placed under house arrest after military coup overthrew her father’s government.
A year later, General Haq ordered the execution of her father for allegedly authorising the murder of an opponent.
Eventually, she inherited her father’s leadership of the PPP.
However, strict restrictions were imposed on her family, due to which she moved to England in 1984 and returned on April 10, 1986 and campaigned for elections.
She married Asif Ali Zardari, who went on to become the president of Pakistan, on December 18, 1987, and the couple had three children: Bilawal, Bakhtawar, and Aseefa.
Source:gulf-times.com
