POLITICAL

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/apr2008-weekly/nos-13-04-2008/dia.htm#3
City of martyrs

April 4, 2008 had a special significance for Garhi Khuda Bux -- this time the political heir to ZAB was also buried alongside

By Yasir Babbar
Garhi Khuda Bux, now called a city of martyrs of democracy, has attained a special significance after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi.

On the occasion of the 29th death anniversary of Zulifkar Ali Bhutto, every street of Garhi Khuda Bux was decorated with tri-coloured flags and banners of Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Workers and local leaders had arranged camps of Sabeel (clean drinking water) and Langar (free food) in every nook and corner of the city. Camps of Sukkur, Dadu, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Khairpur Mir, Tharparkar, Sanghar, Jamshoro and others districts were set up in different parts of the convention area. The white mausoleum was also adorned with the party flag and banner.

Hundreds of thousands of spirited party workers were chanting slogans of 'Jeay Bhutto sada Jeay' and 'Zinda hey BB Zinda hey'. This anniversary of ZAB was different from all the previous ones because the dead body of the daughter and political heir to Zulifqar Ali Bhutto had also been brought and buried here a few months ago. It was obvious then that a lot more people attended the anniversary this time. The security arrangements in place were stringent.

"All youngsters of the country should come here on April 4 every year because this is how we can pay tribute to our great leader," a young and energetic PPP worker Mumtaz Jokhio told TNS. A new PPP worker, Jokhio belongs to Khair Pur Nathan Shah which is also called the city of martyrs of MRD movement of the 1980s. "I joined the PPP after the martyrdom of BB Sahiba because it is the political party of martyrs." Like Mumtaz Jokhio, thousands of workers belonging to the new generation were seen in Garhi Khuda Bux.

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani arrived at the mausoleum to pay his respects accompanied by PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, members of the federal cabinet, National Assembly deputy speaker and senior leadership of the PPPP. Later he went to the graves of 20 people killed in the Oct 18 bomb blasts in Benazir Bhutto's homecoming procession at Karsaz Karachi and offered fateha.

PPP (Shaheed Bhutto group) also observed the death anniversary of ZAB in Garhi Khuda Bux but separately. A public meeting was held addressing which Pakistan People's Party (SB) Chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto said that people were still hostage to feudal lords and efforts were needed to jolt them out of their apathy. "We want to bring people's revolution and will not sit idle till the system is changed and goals are achieved."

A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, comprising Dr Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri and others, visited the graves of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto and laid floral wreaths at the graves. On the occasion, Dr Farooq Sattar praised the sagacity and knowledge of ZAB and acknowledged him as a 'great leader'. It was the first time in 30 years that MQM came to Garhi Khuda Bux.

Earlier Asif Ali Zardari, Co-chairman PPP had gone to MQM's central office Nine Zero on April 2 where he and MQM chief Altaf Hussain had vowed to initiate a 'new journey' for the sake of Pakistan. It was Zardari's second official visit to Azizabad over the last 20 years. He had gone there in 1988 along with Benazir Bhutto. During this visit Altaf Hussain requested Zardari to allow him to send an MQM delegation to Naudero to attend the death anniversary of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto which was accepted.

Qurban Mallah from Dadu, Ali Sher from Sukkur, Ali Nawaz from Umerkot and many other participants attending the anniversary from various parts of interior Sindh did not approve of MQM delegation visiting the mausoleum. They were of the view that MQM's 30 years' politics showed it was not sincere with Sindh and the country "so PPP should not enter into a coalition arrangement with them, either in the province or at the centre."

Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, on the other hand, said while talking to TNS: "We want to respect Muttahida's mandate. I think whatever decision our Co-chairperson makes would be constructive for the country."
yasirbabbar@gmail.com