KARACHI, July 22: A large number of emotionally charged activists of the Pakistan People's Party defied section-144 to take part in a gathering held to observe chehlum of their leader Munawwar Hussain Suhrawardy who was assassinated here by unknown armed men on June 17.
While criticizing the government for its failure in arresting killers, they vowed to continue their peaceful struggle against the 'oppressive rule' of the regime which, they alleged, had embarked upon a policy of physically eliminating the voice of dissent.
Wearing black arm-bands and carrying party flags, placards and portraits of party chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mr Suhrawardy, the mourners in a convoy of different vehicles drove to the residence of the assassinated leader in Hyderabad Colony.
As the police had barricaded Bilawal House, the activists could not assemble there as was planned originally. They, however, trekked to the venue in a criss-cross manner to form a procession.
After fateha for the deceased, PPP Secretary General Mr Jehangir Badar addressed the mourners. Declaring that the party wouldn't be cowed down by threats, he reminded the rulers that the PPP was accustomed to giving supreme sacrifices for the supremacy of the right of the people and rule of law. He claimed that the PPP founder, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's hanging and Munawwar Suhrawardy's assassination were part of a conspiracy to wipe out the party.
Mr Badar alleged that Gen Musharraf had asked his political protege to eliminate the PPP by hook or by crook. The killing of Abdullah Murad and Munawwar Suhrawardy, he added, was part of the same plot.
He slammed the government for keeping Mr Asif Ali Zardari in prison for eight years on, what he termed, 'baseless charges'.
He declared that Ms Bhutto would definitely return home soon despite all machinations of the rulers against her and the party.
He paid tribute to Mr Suhrawardy for the selfless services he rendered to the party and his devotion to its chairperson.
PPP Sindh chief, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, who is also opposition leader in the provincial assembly, slammed the government for the 'worsening' law and order and stressed that "a struggle against the oppressive system is the only way out."
He vowed to continue the struggle against the 'anti-people and anti-democracy' elements, and claimed that Abdullah Murad and Munawwar Suhrawardy had been killed by agents of the Establishment who, he alleged, were not in favour of democratic dispensation.
Describing the killings as 'a threat to the PPP', Mr Khuhro said that elimination of PPP leaders was a message from the Establishment that the party should abandon the path of struggle for the upholding of principles of democracy and rule of law. "But such tactics are not new for us," he said, adding: "those who can stand the pressure are targeted."
Barrister Kamal Azfar, Prof N. D. Khan, Rashid Rabbani, Haji Muzaffar Shujra, Habibuddin Junedi, Basharat Mirza , Rafiq advocate and other PPP leaders were present on the occasion.
While the activists chanted slogans demanding the government's resignation for failing to arrest culprits of terrorist activities in the city, Mr Khuhro warned the government against letting the killers move around freely.
Rashid Rabbani and Prof N. D. Khan said that due to the struggle by PPP activists and principled stand adopted by the party leadership, opponents of the PPP were getting weaker with each passing day. They also talked of the excesses being committed by the Establishment and declared that the PPP would not tolerate the excesses.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Bilawal House claimed in a statement that security agencies picked up more than 500 party activists who were trying to assemble outside Ms Benazir Bhutto's residence.