HYDERABAD, July 18: PPP (Shaheed Bhutto group) and People's Party Parliamentarians on Sunday held separate ceremonies to observe the 19th death anniversary of Shahnawaz Bhutto, son of late Prime Minister Zulkfikar Ali Bhutto.

Chairperson of the PPP (SB) Ghinwa Bhutto told participants of an anniversary meeting held at the local press club that the country needed to have an army of its own, a people's army. She also stressed the need for framing consistent domestic, foreign and economic policies.

Paying rich tribute to Shahnawaz Bhutto, she said that both Shahnawaz and Murtaza Bhutto had created public awareness about their rights and had tried to empower them, adding that their struggle culminated in their deaths.

Criticizing the army operation in Wana in South Waziristan Agency, Ms Bhutto said that what the country really needed was its own people's army. Opposing any decision to send Pakistani troops to Iraq, the PPP (SB) chairperson said that it was unjustifiable when other countries were recalling their troops from Iraq.

Meanwhile, PPP held Quran Khwani at Bhurgari House which was attended by a large number of party workers and office-bearers. Member of the party's Sindh Council Maula Bukhsh Chandio said that both the sons of late Z.A. Bhutto had struggled for the rights of the poor.

MPA Zahid Ali Bhurgari said that the party's workers would continue the struggle for the restoration of democracy and the rights of downtrodden masses under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto.

Our Larkana correspondent adds: PPP on Sunday observed Shahnawaz Bhutto's 19th death anniversary in Naudero. The main function was held at former prime minister's house.

A procession led by the PPP's district president marched to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto where PPP leaders and workers offered fateha and laid floral wreaths on the graves of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Mir Shahnawaz Bhutto.