RAWALPINDI: Unlike in the past, PPP workers and supporters did not gather at the site of the old Rawalpindi district jail, now Jinnah Park, to observe the death anniversary of party founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto due to the coronavirus restrictions.

Mr Bhutto was hanged at the district jail on April 4, 1979.

In the second tenure of Benazir Bhutto, the district jail site was converted into a park and the party used to observe his death anniversary there every year.

The PPP workers and supporters used to gather at the site to pay tributes to Mr Bhutto for raising voice for the poor and promoting democracy.

This year, however, the party stopped its workers from gathering at the site to avoid the spread of coronavirus. “The party decided not to arrange any function for the death anniversary across the country due to the pandemic,” said Amir Fida Paracha, a spokesman for PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

Party workers stopped from holding any function to avoid spread of coronavirus, says spokesperson

“Safety of people’s health and provision of basic facilities to them is the mission of PPP so it is working on it. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto sacrificed his life for democracy and betterment of the poor and the party under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is struggling to bring socioeconomic change in the country,” he said.

In Rawalpindi, workers and supporters arranged fateha khwani in their houses.

“We along with our family members recited from the holy Quran for the great leader of the world,” said Nasir Mir, PPP city chapter spokesman.

He said usually the arrangements started in mid-March but this year the party leadership stopped the workers from arranging a gathering for their safety.

“Some party workers and supporters donated blood in hospitals while others distributed food among people who have become unemployed due to the lockdown,” he added.

Mr Mir said the party had also established a coronavirus fund and local workers and supporters had started donating in it to help those affected by the lockdown.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020