Commemorative preparations have officially started at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, the historic site where former Prime Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto was martyred. The activities mark the approach of her 18th death anniversary, with a series of solemn events planned by the party and its affiliated wings.
Cleansing and Vigils at the Martyrdom Site
The initial phase of preparation involves a thorough cleaning of the hallowed ground at Liaquat Bagh. In a gesture of reverence and respect, the site is being washed with rose water. Starting from the afternoons leading up to the anniversary, various groups within the PPP will hold daily vigils at the location, continuing until sunset each day.
Multiple wings of the party are scheduled to pay their respects daily, including the PPP itself, the Peoples Students Federation (PSF), the Peoples Youth Organisation (PYO), the Women's Wing, the Ulema and Mashaikh Wing, and the Lawyers' Wing. The local party organizations from Rawalpindi City, District, and Cantonment are actively engaged in overseeing and participating in these preparatory arrangements.
Major Ceremony and Journey to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh
A significant central ceremony is planned for December 27, the exact date of the martyrdom. This event at Liaquat Bagh will commence with Quranic recitation, followed by addresses from prominent party leaders. Senior PPP officials, including Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari, Incharge Central Secretariat Sibtul Hassan Shah, Nargis Faiz Malik, Rashid Chauhan, and Raja Shakeel, have confirmed that all preparations are targeted for completion by December 25.
Furthermore, convoys of PPP workers and supporters from the Rawalpindi Division will converge on the site. In a separate tribute, a convoy will also undertake a journey to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in Larkana, the ancestral resting place of the Bhutto family. There, they will attend the central anniversary ceremony where President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari are expected to address a large gathering.
A Lasting Symbol of National Values
PPP leaders emphasized that even eighteen years after her passing, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto continues to stand as a powerful symbol of peace, brotherhood, national unity, and tolerance for the people of Pakistan. The annual observance serves not only as a remembrance of her life and sacrifice but also as a reaffirmation of the political ideals she represented for her party and its supporters across the nation.
