RAWALPINDI, March 24: Supporters of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) celebrated the victory of Yousaf Raza Gilani as the country’s new prime minister in a very simple way and refrained from setting off fireworks in the backdrop of the assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in the city nearly three months ago.

Majority of party supporters and office-bearers had made arrangements for fireworks, however, they were directed by some local PPP leaders, including Agha Riazul Islam, Nasir Mir and Mian Imran Hayat, to celebrate the event without much fanfare in order to recall Ms Bhutto’s death.

The PPP activists only distributed sweets among the people at different places and there was no sign of jubilant activity in the city.

PPP Rawalpindi-Islamabad secretary information and naib nazim Nasir Mir told Dawn that big multimedia screens would be installed throughout Rawalpindi on Tuesday for replaying the last speech by Ms Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh.

He said the PPP workers had been directed to avoid enthusiastic celebrations in order to imply upon the people that the country lost a charismatic leader on December 27, 2007. “We want to mourn her death till our last breath,” Mr Agha, a former MPA, said.

“The residents of Rawalpindi cannot forget the tragic day. Their ideal and popular leader Benazir Bhutto was killed in front of thousands of eye-witnesses,” Satellite Town Nazim Mian Imran said.

The PPP leaders said the election of the new premier would also be celebrated on Tuesday by distributing sweets and replaying speeches by Ms Bhutto.

Our Reporter from Islamabad adds: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday phoned the newly- elected prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and congratulated him on being voted to power with a thumping majority.

Mr Zardari also felicitated him on delivering a balanced speech and expressed the hope that Mr Gilani would prove himself a very successful prime minister and make Pakistan a prosperous and developed country where people would be able to live in peace and harmony.

He also hoped that the premier-elect would implement the “Roti, Kapra and Makan” manifesto of the PPP so that the dream of the party’s slain chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, was realised.

GILGIT: Members of the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) including Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, Aftab Haider, Ghulam Mohammad, Ismail Khan, Allama Nisar, Syed Jaffar Shah and Ghulam Mohammad congratulated Yousaf Raza Gilani on his election as prime minister.

They also congratulated the public, coalition parties, lawyers and civil society activists on the restoration of democracy and judiciary.

ATTOCK: Senior PPP leader Malik Hakmeen Khan and his son Malik Shahan Khan have congratulated Yousuf Raza Gilani on his election as the prime minister.

In a statement, both PPP leaders said the election of Mr Gilani was a good omen and it would help steer the country out of the prevailing challenges.