Benazir Bhutto Shaheed
\n PESHAWAR
\nBenazir Bhutto Shaheed who was the first woman Prime Minister of the Muslim world and a two-time premier of Pakistan, was remembered with profound respect, emotion and admiration across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the nation observed her 18th martyrdom anniversary.
\nPolitical leaders, academics, civil society members and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers paid rich tributes to her unparalleled services for democracy, peace and political empowerment of the masses.
\nRecalling her legacy, Malik Azmat Khan, former Minister of State and senior PPP leader, said that the sweet memories of the charismatic leader remain deeply etched in the hearts and minds of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
\n\u201cBenazir Bhutto Shaheed is remembered as a true champion of democracy, a role model for women and youth, and a harbinger of peace who stood unwaveringly against dictatorship,\u201d he told APP.
\nAcross the province, PPP workers, lawyers, human rights activists and members of civil society marked the day with collective prayers, Quran Khwani and condolence references in all districts.
\nSpeakers highlighted her democratic struggle, political foresight and supreme sacrifices for the nation, terming her martyrdom an irreparable loss for Pakistan.
\nOn December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a deadly gun and suicide bomb attack after addressing a massive election rally at the historic Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi.
\nThe tragedy plunged the entire nation into deep shock and mourning. At the age of 54, Benazir Bhutto became one of the few global leaders to embrace martyrdom while standing amidst a sea of supporters, immortalising her forever in the political history of Pakistan.
\nA leader of rare intellect, courage and compassion, Benazir Bhutto voluntarily gave up a life of comfort and returned to Pakistan from a long exile on October 18, 2007. Her mission was to rid the country of dictatorship and steer it back onto the path of democracy, peace and development.
\n\u201cDespite grave threats to her life, the daughter of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto followed the proud tradition of her illustrious family. She did not retreat in the face of danger but stood firm against pessimism and dictatorial forces,\u201d Malik Azmat said.
\nHer historic return was welcomed by hundreds of thousands of supporters who thronged Karachi from across the country. However, even the deadly Karsaz bombing, which claimed around 140 lives and injured over 450 people, failed to deter her resolve.
\n\u201cShe firmly believed that democracy was the only solution to terrorism, economic instability and the suffering of ordinary people,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cDeath held no meaning for Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. She lived for the people and died among them while striving for their socioeconomic emancipation,\u201d Malik Azmat remarked.
\nEchoing similar sentiments, PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha said, \u201cBB Shaheed lived for the people and laid down her life for them.\u201d
\nHe said that as an international leader, Benazir Bhutto always kept the welfare of Pakistan\u2019s millions at the forefront and openly condemned terrorism that ultimately cost her life.
\nHe said she was martyred while struggling to restore genuine democracy, promote peace and bridge the divide between Muslim countries and the West.
\n\u201cImperialist and inimical forces removed her from the political scene in an attempt to destabilise Pakistan and keep its people backward,\u201d he asserted.
\nBacha further said that Benazir Bhutto had deep love for Islam and great respect for eastern values and culture.
\n\u201cDespite her education from top Western institutions and her stature as a two-time prime minister, she upheld Islamic teachings and eastern traditions,\u201d he said, adding that her traditional white headscarf symbolised her identity as the \u2018Daughter of the East.\u2019
\nEven her political opponents, he noted, acknowledged that Pakistan had never produced leaders who could match the Bhuttos\u2019 political acumen and democratic struggle.
\nHamza Khan, President of PML-N Nowshera, said Benazir Bhutto\u2019s thinking was democratic and progressive. \u201cShe kept the torch of democracy alive by sacrificing her life at Liaquat Bagh,\u201d he remarked.
\nProfessor Abdul Rauf, Chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, termed her assassination a colossal national tragedy. \u201cShe was not just a political leader; she was the identity of Pakistan. Her martyrdom saddened progressive and democratic forces across the world,\u201d he said.
\nHe warned that political wrangling only strengthens anti-democratic forces, citing Pakistan\u2019s troubled parliamentary history, including the assassinations of Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951 and Benazir Bhutto in 2007 both at Liaquat Bagh.
\nHe said that Shaheed-e-Jamhooriat considered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa her second home and had immense love for the Pashtun people, who suffered greatly during the war on terror. He recalled her historic address in Peshawar on December 1, 2007, where she appealed to Pashtuns to reject violence and extremism and support peace and democracy.
\nBenazir Bhutto was also instrumental in advocating provincial autonomy, renaming NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and promoting regional trade on the pattern of the European Union \u2014 goals later materialised under a PPP-led government.
\nPPP leaders said Pashtuns strongly believe that her martyrdom was part of a well-planned conspiracy to keep their region backward and deprived.
\n\u201cHad she been alive, the destiny of the Pashtun nation would have been different,\u201d Bacha said, adding that she was committed to fulfilling the vision of her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had deep ties with the Pashtun people.
\nBenazir Bhutto\u2019s martyrdom, he said, weakened dictatorship and paved the way for the restoration of democracy. She consistently advocated political, social and economic empowerment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emphasising education, poverty alleviation and employment generation through industry-academia linkages.
\n\u201cThough Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed is no longer among us, her guiding principles, visionary leadership and unmatched sacrifices continue to inspire political workers, youth and future generations to strive for a democratic, peaceful and prosperous Pakistan,\u201d the experts concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Benazir Bhutto Shaheed PESHAWAR Benazir Bhutto Shaheed who was the first woman Prime Minister of the Muslim world and a two-time premier of Pakistan, was remembered with profound respect, emotion and admiration across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the nation observed her 18th martyrdom anniversary. Political leaders, academics, civil society members and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-522483","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n