LAHORE: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday visited the residence of late Prof Farkhanda Bokhari, activist of the party and wife of late poet Shohrat Bokhari.

Mr Bilawal expressed his condolences with Barrister Maqsooma Bokhari and Masooma Bokhari, daughters of Ms Bokhari.

He paid tribute to Ms Bokhari for her political struggle for the restoration of democracy during the dictatorial regime of Gen Zia. He said even hardships of imprisonment and forced exile could not deter her struggle.

The party’s chairman said the struggle of Ms Farkhanda was a role model for the women of the country.

MPA Hassan Murtaza, Shahzad Saeed Cheema, Altaf Qureshi, Tariq Khurshid and Ali Jahangir were also present.

Ms Bokhari faced brutal state torture during the dictatorial regime of Gen Zia from 1978 till her release in 1981 from the torture cell of the Attock Fort. She was also exiled against her will when she was forced to board a plane handcuffed along with other 53 male political prisoners. She died on Oct 23 after a brief illness.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2021