KARACHI, June 30 The vast and beautiful Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park, developed in the Boat Basin area and named after the assassinated prime minister, was inaugurated by Senator Almas Pervin on Wednesday evening.

Speakers at the inauguration said the land mafia had been eyeing this precious piece of land for a long time. With the development of the park, they said that not only homage had been paid to the late popular leader, but the people had also been given a beautiful picnic spot in the city, most part of which had been turned into a concrete jungle by the vested interests.

More than 183 plaques inscribed with the names of party workers killed in the Karsaz and Liaquat Bagh blasts have been put up and saplings planted in the park.

The park, laid at a cost of over Rs870 million on 152 acres surrounding the Chinna Creek within five months, has eight large canopies with seating arrangement. American grass has been used for the fist time in the country in a public park. It has exclusive jogging tracks and exercise machines for senior citizens.

One of the rare features of the park is a 12-foot-wide and 1,000-foot-long floating bridge. A 10-foot-wide and 6,000-foot-long walking track has also been laid in the park. It has four fire fountains at separate locations. Numerous full-grown trees of various species, including neem, kutchnar, alstonia and palm have been planted.

Chinese technology and material has been used for the first time in the subcontinent. The fountains project Arabian Nights imagery and the spirit of Muslim civilisation seen in the regal gardens and architecture of Al-Hamra.

The broad walk is sturdy, flexible and buoyant. It is procured from China, which has also designed and manufactured the domes.

Several horticultural novelties — such as single bougainvillea with variegated hues, grafted skillfully by professionals from the Far East — have been introduced. Many mature and full-grown trees measuring 10 to 15 feet in height have been relocated there.

The topiary, seasonal foliage, palms, ground cover and the perennials are all present to give an image of a well-groomed botanical garden.

And the bubbling water gushes up from the fountains in the midst of the jets giving intermittent flashes of light — like a fire — provide a startling contrast of exceptional oddity of two rival forces working in symbolic friendship side by side.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah speaking at the ceremony said the park had been developed to pay homage to the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and it was also a gift from the party to the city.

He deplored that efforts were being made to isolate President Asif Zardari and then to get him out of the presidency, but the opponents must know that the president and the party had the support of the masses and not only it would complete its tenure, but, God willing, win the next elections also and continue to serve the people.

He said the president believed in the politics of reconciliation and with the help of the coalition partners — the MQM, ANP, PML-F and others — would continue to serve the public. He said the Pakistan People's Party had great regards for its workers, and the best proof was that a party worker from Lyari was first made a senator and now the president had nominated her to inaugurate the park.

Earlier, Local Bodies Minister Siraj Durrani said that soon a monument would be built at the site of the Karsaz bomb blast and inaugurated on Oct 18. He said the party had decided to name roads after party workers killed in the Karsaz and Liaquat Bagh tragedies, near their homes to acknowledge their sacrifices.

Earlier, Sen Almas Pervin said she was an ordinary party worker from Lyari, but the party first made her a senator and now had given her the honour to inaugurate the park named after the great leader.

She said sacrifices of the workers killed at Karsaz and Liaquat Bagh had been acknowledged by putting up plaques of their names and planting of saplings in the park.

Earlier, City District Government Karachi's parks chief Liaquat Ali explained the salient features of the park, which he said was unique, huge and had been developed in record 150 days.