–Bilawal pays rich tribute to mother Benazir Bhutto on her martyrdom anniversary, says she was the chain that united all federating units
LAHORE: The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday directed the law enforcement agencies and police to ensure security to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and participants of the rally as it allowed the PPP to hold a gathering at Liaquat Bagh on slain prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary.
The opposition party had previously announced a public meeting at Liaquat Bagh — the place where the former premier was assassinated on Dec 27, 2007 — but the district administration had refused to give permission, citing security concerns.
The party had consequently filed a petition with the LHC challenging the decision. Subsequently, Justice Tariq Abbasi summoned the district administration on Dec 26. Following the court’s directives, Rawalpindi’s Deputy Commissioner Saifullah Dogar appeared before the court to submit his comments on the petition.
During the proceedings, the court remarked that providing security to Bilawal was the responsibility of all law enforcement agencies while ensuring security for the planned public gathering was the responsibility of the police.
A day earlier, PPP had insisted it would hold the rally at Liaquat Bagh on Friday to observe Benazir’s death anniversary, whether the party got the permission or not. “Jialays [PPP workers] from all over the country are on their way to Liaquat Bagh, but opponents and remnants of [former military dictator] Ziaul Haq faced problems over this,” said party’s Information Secretary Nafisa Shah during a visit to the venue to oversee preparations for the Friday event.
‘CHAIN OF FEDERATION’:
Bilawal, in a message on the eve of 12th martyrdom day anniversary, said that Benazir Bhutto was the strongest chain of Federation of Pakistan.
“Those who assassinated her had planned to break the chain but failed due to “Pakistan Khappe” slogan of President Asif Ali Zardari soon after the national tragedy,” said the PPP chief.
He said Pakistanis would never forget their brave leader, who sacrificed everything for the country and for the rights of its downtrodden masses.
“As a young daughter whose father and the most popular leader Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged by a military dictator, she fought bravely and led the followers of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto into an untiring struggle against tyrant Ziaul Haq,” the PPP chairman added.
His mother suffered solitary confinement, imprisonments and forced exiles while fighting for the restoration of democracy, he added. The PPP chairman pointed out that Benazir Bhutto defeated the dictatorship and was given power under compulsion after remnants of Zia dictatorship failed to completely hijack the 1988 general elections.
After elections, as Prime Minister, she ordered the release of all the political prisoners in the country and launched programmes for the development of the country and the masses, he added.
