By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: The 18th anniversary of the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was marked across Pakistan on Saturday with tributes, prayers and political gatherings held in her memory.
Events organized by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) took place nationwide, with supporters observing the day with what the party described as devotion, respect and renewed political resolve. The central commemorative rally was held at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in Sindh, where Bhutto is buried, drawing party workers and supporters from across the country who arrived in large convoys.
Addressing the gathering, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid tribute to his mother, describing her sacrifice as a pledge “written in blood” that democracy in Pakistan would never surrender. He said her struggle continued to inspire those committed to democratic values and civilian rule.
President Asif Ali Zardari, in a separate message, recalled Benazir Bhutto as the first woman prime minister of the Muslim world to be elected twice by popular vote. He said her repeated electoral victories reflected her firm belief in peaceful politics and democratic governance. Tributes also came from senior political figures.
The governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, said Bhutto’s life was defined by an enduring struggle for democracy, constitutional supremacy, the sovereignty of the people and the rights of women.
Senate chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said she had taken historic steps to ensure the continuity of democracy, judicial independence, electoral reforms and the political, social and economic empowerment of women, achievements that placed her among the world’s leading modern political figures.
