LARKANA: Garhi Khuda Bukhsh Bhutto, the venue where Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary is held since her assassination in 2007, reverberated with slogans of Jeay Bhutto and Jeay Banazir with jiyalas dancing to the tunes of thrilling party songs like Bijan Teer Bijan playing on sound systems all along the route to the Bhuttos’ mausoleum as dawn broke on Tuesday.

Caravans of jiyalas started arriving in the pindal on foot after passing through walkthrough gates and happily offering frisking to police personnel and PPP’s security squad. None of the several hundred thousand participants appeared fearful or panicked although the country has been facing a fresh wave of terrorism and a threat alert also been issued by the United States and Britain for their citizens specifying that public places and large gatherings may be the target of terrorists.

Even a senior PPP leader in his speech referred to the wave of terrorism and asked the party leadership to get the masses rid of terrorism.

The party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Mr Najmuddin recalled that Benazir Bhutto had visited Swat when a similar wave of terrorism had gripped the area. She established her government’s writ and hoisted Pakistan flag there. Later, Asif Ali Zardari also unfurled Pakistani flag in Swat declaring that peace had returned to the entire province, he said. “Now the situation is upside down as no one feels secure,” he said, and blamed the PTI-led government in KPK for the situation.

Organisers, police maintain discipline, take due care of Benazir’s death anniversary participants

Sindh police had made arrangements for foolproof security during the event attended by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and a host of senior PPP leaders coming from across the country, beside the huge number of party workers and supporters who included many women and children.

Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon himself supervised the security arrangements.

The Mazar Committee and district administration had jointly made arrangements to provide all essential facilities to the participants.

Tents were pitched for PPP’s divisional chapter leaders.

Since morning, PPP leaders, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, his cabinet colleagues and their counterparts from other provinces, kept visiting the mausoleum to lay wreaths on Bhuttos’ graves and offer fateha.

The jiyalas wearing party badges, caps, mufflers were carrying a waving party flags and Bhuttos’ portraits while raising slogans.

Elaborate arrangements were made to ensure a smooth flow of vehicular traffic while medical camps were set up to provide emergency health cover to the participants. A vast area on the left side of the mausoleum was spared for parking of vehicles.

All speakers at the anniversary programme renewed their pledge to carry forward the mission of Benazir Bhutto. A mushaira was also a key feature of the event.

PPP Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro paid homage to Benazir Bhutto for her sustained struggle for the restoration of democracy in the country and finally laying down her life for the cause. He also lauded the struggle by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other PPP leaders for democracy and people’s rights.

PPP AJK president Chaudhri Yaseen said Asif Ali Zardari, after Benazir Bhutto, advocated the cause of Kashmir. He said leaders of no other party had taken such a strong stand.

PPP’s parliamentary party leader in the Punjab Assembly and general secretary PPP Southern Punjab said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was serving as a bridge to continue the services rendered by Benazir Bhutto. “Now Punjab is facing peculiar situation but jiyals stand with Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari,” he said.

On the occasion senior renowned photographer Zahid Hussain’s book, Baby Say Bibi Tak, was jointly launched by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Sanam Bhutto and Bibi Aseefa Bhutto.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2022