PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on Wednesday branded former president Pervez Musharraf as the 'killer' of his slain mother. He made the accusation while addressing a large crowd of PPP supporters in Garhi Khuda Bux, who were gathered to commemorate Benazir Bhutto's 10th death anniversary.

Reiterating that he holds the man who pulled her security — rather than the man who pulled the trigger —responsible for Benazir's death, Bilawal cried "Qaatil! Qaatil! Musharraf qatil!" (Murderer, murderer; Musharraf's the murderer!) in front of a charged crowd as his sisters looked on.

Earlier, he had told his supporters that Benazir had been punished for propagating democracy and for her deep love for the people.

"My leader [Benazir], you were punished for fighting against dictatorship and presenting Islam's peaceful face to the world," Bilawal said. "You were punished for fighting for women and speaking for the oppressed. You were punished for loving the people."

Bilawal claimed that despite their rivals' best efforts to spoil her good work, the present-day PPP is working hard to continue her legacy.

"The 1973 Constitution, whose face was distorted by dictators, we've restored it to its original form. You used to be upset at poverty, so we started the Benazir Income Support Programme. We also allotted state land to poor farmers. We have built heart, kidney and liver hospitals everywhere, and treatment there is free of cost. You cared about the environment so we also started wind energy plants in Sindh. We've built dams to store water."

Bilawal also accused the incumbent government of undoing Benazir's legacy, saying: "They've weakened the democracy and parliament. Small provinces are being isolated from the federal government. This is a murderous government."

He also attached some blame of his mother's unresolved murder case on the judiciary, saying: "The judiciary for whom you [Benazir] struggled, the same judiciary hasn't given us, you, the victims of terror and missing persons any justice."

"O custodians of justice, please give justice to someone," he said.

Earlier, former president and party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari warned his rivals that even though he tries not to indulge in the politics of vengeance, he too has his limits.

"There is a conspiracy still going on," he claimed. "The conspiracy is still hatching new eggs — but our philosophy teaches patience. We have been patient, but I warn our rivals: don't push us to our limits.You have always back-stabbed us but we will not side with you this time. We will win the elections this time. I will not forgive them. I will defeat them from Kashmir to Gilgit-Baltistan."

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