LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party Punjab leaders on Saturday paid tribute to slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on her 73rd birth anniversary, saying that Benazir was a martyr of democracy and the hope of the entire Pakistani nation.

Former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf, PPP Punjab general secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza and information secretary Shahzad Saeed Cheema said the democratic and political struggle of the ‘daughter of the east’ was a reflection of Karbala.

Ashraf said the personality of Bibi Shaheed was connected to the Karbala message of not bowing down. “She was not only the first female PM of Pakistan but also a symbol of democracy, equality and public rights.

Hassan Murtaza said: “We are proud that we are carrying Benazir Bhutto’s message of standing firm in the face of oppression and injustice. She made the Pakistan People’s Party the largest party in the country with her political vision and her services for the backward classes, women and minorities are unforgettable.”

Murtaza said she laid the foundation of political tolerance and dialogue in the country by signing the Charter of Democracy.

Shahzad Saeed Cheema said she made Bibi Zainab’s patience and tolerance her strength. She was the first elected PM of the Muslim world, who became a symbol of women’s rights in a male-dominated society. She put the slogan “democracy is the best revenge” into practice.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2026