ISLAMABAD, June 9: Former Prime Minister and PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has expressed anguish over the self-immolation bid by a party worker, in Dadu district, Sindh.

Sarwar Bhund first tried to set himself on fire on Monday in protest against the government for not allowing party chairperson to return to Pakistan and for withdrawal of cases against Asif Ali Zardari, but he was stopped by the people present there. However, he suffered burn injuries. On Tuesday, he again set himself on fire in his home.

He is the second party worker to have committed self-immolation this year in protest against political victimization of the party leadership. Earlier in January another party worker Dhani Bux Memon had immolated himself in front of the Lakhi Dar police station in Shikarpur, Sindh, and died of serious burn wounds.

In a statement issued by the PPP media cell here Wednesday Ms Bhutto said that she was anguished that another party worker had taken the extreme step of self-immolation.

This act showed the worker's support for PPP and his courage in resisting the military dictatorship's usurpation of the constitutional, democratic and economic rights of the people.

"It is a stunning and humiliating setback to Gen Musharraf's rule", she said and added, "it is symbolic of the repression in society where unfortunately young men are taking extreme measures because normal avenues of political redress like the parliament and the judiciary have been shut by the military rulers".

She also asked the party leadership to visit Sarwar Bhund and do everything possible to save his life. Ms Bhutto asked the workers that instead of committing self-immolation they should gather their energies to strengthen the party and spread its message in the country.