PESHAWAR, Jan 5: The Pakistan People’s Party, Peshawar, celebrated the 74th birthday of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, PPP’s founder-chairman, who was sent to the gallows in a murder case in 1979.

Hundreds of PPP workers, holding tri-coloured party flags, balloons and banners reading Bhutto’s words, converged on the Municipal Corporation lawn on G. T. Road to pay homage to their leader. The place became alive with chants, music and dancing.

The PPP provincial chief Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and other party leaders lashed out at the discriminatory policies of the present government and demanded immediate release of Asif Ali Zardari, who according to them, had been granted bail in all 13 cases.

They refuted Gen Pervez Musharraf’s claim that Benazir Bhutto’s role was over. “Only the PPP can steer the country out of the present crisis and the dangers looming over borders”, they added. They said that 21 years ago Bhutto was sent to death during the tenure of Gen Ziaul Haq. He was a true supporter of the Palestinian cause and a leader of the downtrodden in Pakistan.

In a resolution, the PPP members demanded Asif Ali Zardari’s release and the withdrawal of cases against Benazir Bhutto.