HYDERABAD, Feb 7 The Pakistan People`s Party leaders, activists and sympathisers reposed trust in party chairman and co-chairman and reiterated their pledge to avenge Benazir Bhutto`s death by vote at the chehlum ceremonies held throughout the province on Thursday.

Dadu, Thatta, Hala, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur and their adjoining towns and villages remained completely closed as mark of grief and respect for the great leader.

The chehlum ceremonies began with Quran khwani and fateha prayers and ended with speeches by party leaders and distribution of food among the participants and general public.

Hala - hometown of Makhdoom Amin Fahim -, where the second largest chehlum event was held after Larkana, remained closed and thousands of party workers gathered in Government School ground to attend chehlum.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim urged workers to show unity and denied reports of differences within party. The party affairs were being run through consultation and he was in Hala in accordance with party`s decision to hold separate programmes, he said.

Moving scenes were witnessed at Basant Hall in Hyderabad where the followers of Benazir Bhutto openly wailed and cried after reciting Quran and offering fateha for the departed soul.

Leaders expressed full confidence in the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari. The party would avenge the death of its leader by restoring undiluted democracy, they said.

The faculty and staff members of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences held fateha and Quran khwani at Jamia Masjid Jamshoro in which LUMHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Noshad Ahmed Shaikh also took part.

In Shikarpur, chehlum ceremony was held at Mirani House where hundreds of participants recited Quran for the departed soul. Sardar Wahid Bux Khan Bhayo also arranged Quran khwani at Bhayo House.

Thousands of people participated in chehlum in Sanghar, Shahdadpur, Tando Adam and adjoining towns and villages. About 15,000 people gathered in Tando Adam to pay homage to their martyred leader. They recited Quran and offered fateha for the departed soul.

Leaders said that the elements who wanted to dismember Pakistan killed Benazir but “today, Punjabi, Pathan, Sindhi, Baloch and Mohajir have gathered here to express their grief and prove that PPP does not believe in caste and creed.”

Tando Adam and Shahdadpur remained completely closed.

Thousands of workers and supporters from Nawabshah and adjoining areas reached Syed Cotton Factory in Sakrand to attend the main chehlum ceremony.

Fateha khwani was also held in NMC hospital and at the residences of several local leaders in Nawabshah, Daur, Bandhi and adjoining towns and villages.

In Khairpur, party leaders said at the chehlum ceremony at Phool Bagh that people had converted their anger into strength. They termed Ms Bhutto`s handwritten will a historic document and reposed confidence in party chairman and co-chairman.

Dadu and its adjoining towns remained closed as mark of respect for Benazir`s chehlum. Thousands of workers arrived at Municipal Stadium on jeeps, busses, trucks and cars to attend the chehlum.

Former leader of opposition in Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro urged people not to budge from their positions at polling stations on the polling day and not to allow PML leaders to cast bogus votes.

Pir Mazharul Haq appealed to people to remain peaceful and adopt democratic means to take revenge from the enemies of PPP and people.

In Mithi, a large number of people from every nook and corner of the district gathered in Government High School ground to attend chehlum. Comrade Jam Saqi termed Benazir`s assassination the greatest loss to the country.

PPP leader Mahesh Kumar Malani and Pesumal Akrani said that Benazir Bhutto had become immortal. Arbabs had retained their dominance over Thar through the politics of “danda” and wickedness, they said.

Hundreds of activists converged in Mirpur Sakro to attend the main chehlum ceremony of the district while Thatta remained completely closed.

PPP leaders Sassui Palijo, Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro and Sardar Luqman Malkani said that the only way to avenge the assassination of Ms Bhutto was to vote her party to power.

Sassui alleged that the establishment and its puppets, the Choudhries of Punjab and the Arbab of Sindh, had conspired to eliminate the great leader.

In Mirpurkhas, hundreds of people including women participated in the chehlum where the leaders highlighted the sacrifices of late leader and her services for the downtrodden. Sindh National Front also held chehlum.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Bheel minority people gathered outside the press club to pay tribute to the late leader. Led by Kanji Rano Bheel, Sarwan Kumar and Babu Bhagat elder Bheels played Tambooro and sang Bhajan. Kanji Rano Bheel read verses from Bhagwat Geeta as people wept over the tragic death. Sarwan Kumar Bheel offered Prarthna and the participants garlanded a life size portrait of the late leader.