HYDERABAD, Dec 31: Sindh is devastated at the assassination of their finest daughter Benazir Bhutto as in her death people have lost the hope of a better deal with federation. These expressions were dominant at a condolence meeting of the Sindh Democratic Forum (SDF), on Monday.

The SDF leaders Abrar Kazi, Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, Zulfiqar Halepoto, Nazir Memon, Dr. Nazir Shaikh, Aslam Baloch and others in a joint statement said in Sindh people believe civil military establishment and bureaucracy responsible for the murder. Pointing fingers toward Al-Qaeda, Baitullah Mehsud, and jihadis was an attempt to divert attention of people, they said.

The proof of establishment’s culpability had been provided by interior ministry in the video footage of Benazir’s last moments. The hand holding pistol was much too steady for a person about to blow himself up, they said. Even filming of the footage, they said was professional and can only be the work of persons deeply involved in the crime.

They said this was clearly the doing of agencies. In any case had the 18th October carnage in Karachi been investigated by international experts, the December 27 episode would never have had happened, the SDF leaders charged.

They were of the opinion that the enormous loss to Sindh and to the movement to bring democracy can be addressed only if Pervez Musharraf immediately resigned and a national government of consensus formed for holding elections and transfer of power to people.

In the hour of trial when the country was at crossroad of either the rule of law and constitution or that of discredited and worthless generals and the corrupt and stupid establishment, responsibility on the Peoples Party was enormous.

The SDF leaders said Benazir was a truly world class leader with wisdom beyond her years and monumental energy. “We suggest that to run the affairs of her party, a presidium of leadership from all provinces should be elected to reorganize Peoples Party,” they said.

Leaders of the SDF appealed to the people of Sindh to gain strength from the death of Banazir and be careful and vigilant in getting their political sentiments drifted to some other direction.

They feared the agencies will try to criminalize and divert the movement into some dark and narrow lanes.

The direction of a movement was to take Sindh and Pakistan toward a destiny of democratic governance, peoples rule, ethnic harmony, peace and prosperity, they concluded.