LARKANA: PPP co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari said on Thursday that Benazir Bhutto had fought against dictators for restoration of democracy in the country.

Addressing the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women Excellence Award-2013 ceremony held in Naudero, he said the slain PPP leader had taken what he called unparalleled steps for socio-economic development and empowerment of women. Because of her sincere efforts women rose to prominence in society and enjoyed the status they deserved.

Mr Zardari asked the Sindh chief minister to double the allocation for the revolving fund established by the provincial government’s women development department.

He said that 60,000 acres of land had been distributed among landless women to make them financially strong and ‘model villages’ were being established in every district of Sindh to uplift the village life. Setting up of the Sindh Women Bank and other similar steps were aimed at empowering women, he added.

Sindh Minister for Women Development Rubina Qaimkhani said her ministry was actively engaged in serving the downtrodden, adding that a number of programmes aimed at empowering women had been launched in Sindh.

Later, Mr Zardari gave away Benazir excellence awards to Bilqees Edhi, Abida Parveen, Fatima Suryya Bajiya, Faryal Talpur, Khairunissa Gul, Ms Mehrban, Naheed Raza, Parveen Bashir Qaimkhani and Nadira Panjwani for outstanding performance in their respective fields.

Rubina Qaimkhani presented a memento to Mr Zardari while Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah presented a shield to Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari.

Nisar Khuhro, Sharjeel Memon, Ayaz Soomro and others PPP leaders attended the ceremony.