LARKANA: The 29th death anniversary of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the son of the executed prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was observed on Saturday by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its Sheed Bhutto faction at separate venues in Larkana district.

The PPP held its event at Naudero House and PPP-SB in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto.

At Naudero House, MPA Jamil Soomro, the political secretary to party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Abdul Fatah Bhutto, Nisar Murad Bhutto, Syed Arshad Rashdi and other leaders, activists and supporters attended a Quran Khwani after which a collective prayer was held and food [langar] was distributed.

Later, the participants proceeded to Bhuttos’ mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto in caravans to pay homage to Mir Murtaza Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and others.

Her message read out at Mir Murtaza Bhutto’s 29th death anniversary programme

The PPP-SB leaders, activists and supporters held a Quran Khwani in the mausoleum. Waryam Channo, Zubair Jatoi, Ghulam Rasool Umrani, Majeed Siyal and others attended the event.

On behalf of PPP-SB Chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto, Waryam Channo and other leaders laid floral wreaths on the grave of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, offered fateha and paid homage to the slain leader.

Speaking at the gathering, speakers expressed their regret that justice could not be provided to the bereaved families of Mir Murtaza Bhutto and his companions despite passage of 29 years now.

They vowed to stand alongside Zulfikar Junior Bhutto and Fatima Bhutto in their struggle for justice.

In her message, issued from Lebanon on the 29th anniversary, Ghinwa Bhutto said: “As the month of September begins, many thoughts come to your hearts and our hearts about the anniversary of Mir Murtaza Bhutto’s martyrdom.

“Sometimes the dark night of oppression becomes long, however long the night of oppression may be, its morning must come; and the darker the night, the closer its dawn,” she said.

She noted that in the Middle East, Israel’s aggression is escalating and the number of those killed in Gaza has exceeded 70,000. A small city has been turned into a huge slaughterhouse. The attack on Qatar was a message from Netanyahu that he will attack not only enemies, but also friends. She said the OIC sessions are confined to condemnations only, and mere condemnation is not a solution to any problem. “Our voice is for truth and existence, for struggle for justice. Every generation of ours has sacrificed. From Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Junior Zulfikar Bhutto, from Begum Nusrat Bhutto to Fatima Bhutto, our family has been a caravan of continuous sacrifices.

She said that the people wished that Junior Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Fatima Bhutto lead the PPP of Shaheed Bhutto, and I also desire that — but every generation has the right to make new decisions. I not only give my children the right to decide but I also support them. My hope, wish and prayer are that my children’s party will rise to become the true party the country needs.

“I am confident that you (people) will extend full support to Junior Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Fatima. Not only because they are the light and lamp of the Bhutto family, but because they are children of this nation and a gift to this country. By the light of history and the struggle of the youth, a new history will be written for this country. Our journey is from injustice toward justice, and this journey will continue”.

Ghulam Haider Narejo, member PPP-SB’s central executive committee, said on Saturday that this message was posted on the party’s WhatsApp group.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2025