ISLAMABAD, Dec. 26 Display of a collection of photographs of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto highlighting various moments of her life opened at the Lok Virsa on Saturday.

At the exhibition, as many as 71 photographs on the life-long journey of Ms Bhutto providing glimpses into her life and works showing her as a child and growing up with her family, including her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, mother Nusrat Bhutto and brothers Murtaza and Shahnawaz and her meeting with Indira Gandhi in July 1972 while still in her teen, were placed.

Majority of the photographs showed her later years in politics ending with her last fateful day at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, on December 27, 2007.

Mercifully, the public was spared the view of the gory part on that fateful day, a visitor present at the exhibition commented.

Social activist and author of Taboo, Dr Fauzia Saeed, on the occasion made a stirring call for revival of culture. She said culture is people's heritage as well as viable platform for the country's advancement.

The call was taken up by the chief guest of the event, State Minister for Communication Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, who endorsed the idea that culture is the people's heritage, adding that Ms Bhutto was its greatest exemplar as, he said, she lived and died to advance this heritage of the masses.

Leader of the House in the Senate, Nayyer Bukhari, opened the exhibits by lighting a candle by the side of large oil panting of the assassinated PPP leader. On the occasion, he paid tribute to the slain leader for her services to democracy.

Member PPP Central Executive Committee, Dr Israr Shah, while paying tributes to the Bhuttos said Zulfikar Bhutto established Lok Virsa as he understood the significance of art and its connection with citizens.

Executive Director Lok Virsa Khalid Javaid announced on the occasion that the Virsa would dedicate a new section in the Heritage Museum to Ms Bhutto in recognition of the PPP's role in providing fillip to the culture ad its help to the organisation.

Along with the exhibition, a stall was also displayed with hand-made woolen scarves and long apparel (chador) to protect it from the harshness of winter.

These were woven by the handicraft artisans of Swat to remind of the people the harshness they had suffered from terrorists and militants, said Rubina Khalid, who heads National Institute of Culture, which is Lok Virsa's affiliated organisation.