RAWALPINDI, Dec 27: Hundreds of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supporters and leaders on Friday flocked to Liaquat Bagh for offering prayers and paying homage to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on the first anniversary of her tragic assassination.

People who could not travel to Garhi Khuda Bux thronged Liaquat Bagh --the spot where Ms Bhutto was killed -- and showered flowers on the big portrait of Benazir Bhutto placed exactly at the place where she was mercilessly killed in bomb-gun attack on this day last year when she was returning after addressing an election rally.

A large number of people donated blood on the occasion while some die-hard supporters lit candles with their blood as part of mourning the tragic death of their leader.

PPP leaders including Amir Fida Paracha, Agha Riazul Islam, Qazi Sultan, Mian Khurram Rasool, Director General Pakistan Baitul Mal and former MNA Zamurd Khan and other senior leaders were present on the occasion.

The authorities deployed massive police force on the occasion to provide security to the visitors.

Abbas Khattak, 45, had come to the place along with his family from Karak in order to pay homage to the memory of the slain first woman prime minister of the Muslim world as he could not manage to travel to Bhutto mausoleum in Sindh.

“Liaquat Bagh is second Ghari Khuda Bux for us as this is a place where we can offer prayers for our Shaheed (martyred) leader whose body is in fact at Larkana but her soul is here,” Mr Khattak remarked.

PPP supporters particularly women were observed beating their chests and wailing and were mourning the painful tragedy.

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) had set up blood donation camps at the spot where people donated blood as pledged on the first death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto, who shed her blood for democracy, justice and equality.

The last speech of Ms Bhutto was on the occasion heard through loudspeakers which once again refreshed the tragic incident of December 27 bringing tears to many eyes and prompting them to chant emotional slogans against the then rulers whom they held responsible for her murder.

A large number of people, including women and children read verses from the holy Quran for the departed soul.