RAWALPINDI, June 20: A dissident group in the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Monday held a function in Liaquat Bagh in connection with the 58th birth anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto falling on Tuesday, showing a widening split in the party.

The function held by former political secretary to Ms Bhutto, Naheed Khan, and her spouse Senator Safdar Abbasi was attended by hundreds of party workers. The main function will be held on Tuesday which would also be attended by PPP Punjab president Imtiaz Waraich.

The PPP Rawalpindi chapter had raised objections over Ms Khan's move to celebrate Ms Bhutto's birthday in Liaquat Bagh; however, some senior party leaders advised the workers to let her go ahead with her plan.

"It is quite embarrassing to see leaders of the same party celebrating the birthday of their leader separately. How they would be able to arrest the killers of Ms Bhutto when they have differences over petty issues,” said Sardar Sadiq, a party worker.

In her address to workers in Liaquat Bagh, Ms Khan lashed out at the PPP government for joining hands with political forces who, according to her, had been nominated by Ms Bhutto for plotting to kill her. She said reconciliation with such forces was equivalent to compromising on the assassination of Ms Bhutto.

Since the assassination of Ms Bhutto on December 27, 2007, Ms Khan has been criticising the rulers for their failure to expose her killers. “In all respect, the present government seems to have forgotten the sacrifice rendered by Ms Bhutto,” she told the function.

On the other hand, PPP Rawalpindi chapter, led by Amir Fida Paracha, is all set to celebrate the birthday of Ms Bhutto in Liaquat Bagh by setting up a camp where workers would donate blood for patients and government hospitals.

“We are against any split in the party. Why Naheed Khan does not join us to celebrate the birthday together? She keeps herself at a bay from the party in order to gain cheap popularity,” information secretary of the PPP city Shujaat Haider Naqvi told this reporter.