LAHORE, Dec 31: Amidst the pall of gloom for Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, dance parties arranged in Lahore to celebrate the New Year Night have been cancelled, sources in entertainment world told Dawn on Monday.

The young generation of Lahore, mostly from elite and upper middle class, arranges a number of parties and get together to celebrate New Year Night but the shocking incident of Ms Bhutto’s murder has left everybody sad and upset. Most of the parties had been arranged at Cavalry and Defence clubs, a haveli in the Walled City and farmhouses on Badian Road but now they have been cancelled.

They said that parties might be re-organised after a week or so. Shakir Mehmood, a noted socialite of Lahore, said he also had arranged a get-together to celebrate the occasion but the tragic incident of former premier’s murder had left him in a state of deep gloom. “I tell you the truth the murder news of Ms Bhutto was so shocking that now no one even thinks of holding a party or a fun bash at the moment,” he said.

Lahore is known for throwing parties on the New Year eve but this year the sad happening has put a stop to all such activities since the entire nation is too upset and sad over the present state of affairs in the country.