PESHAWAR, June 21 The district organisations of Pakistan People's Party observed 56th birthday of Benazir Bhutto by setting up blood donation camps in their respective districts.

Peshawar PPP set up three blood donation camps in Lady Reading Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex and City Hospital and collected blood from party leaders, office-bearers and workers. Scores of blood pints were collected at the camps for ailing security personnel, who fought against militants in different parts of tribal belt and Malakand region.

“She sacrificed her life to save Pakistan from dictators and their foreign masters. We are donating blood for those, who got injured in the battle against enemies of the peace, people and country,” said PPP deputy secretary general Zulfikar Afghani.

None of the PPP organisations cut cakes on this occasion instead they donated blood in the memory of their leader. Federal Communication Minister Arbab Alamgir Khan, Syed Ayub Shah and other party leaders donated blood at the camp established in the precincts of Lady Reading Hospital.

Most of the PPP old workers, who converged at the camp, told Dawn that the Bhuttos had sacrificed their lives in political struggle against religious fanatics, military dictators and their handpicked apolitical rulers.

The People's Doctors Forum, a PPP doctors' wing, set up another camp on the premises of Hayatabad Medical Complex and Khyber Teaching Hospital. A large number of PPP workers and office-bearers were present on the occasion.

The PDF set up a third camp inside the City Hospital on Kohat Road. Dr Zaman Khattak, former Peshawar nazim Azam Afridi, PPP local leaders Zulfikar Afghani, Syed Tahir Abbas and others visited the camp. “We will continue this camp for a week, because we have many party workers who want to donate their blood,” said Dr Khattak.

Senator Sardar Ali Khan, coordinator of the event, and Provincial Minister Ahmed Hussain Shah visited Ayub Teaching Hospital and donated blood. Talking to Dawn by telephone, PFD provincial president Dr Nisar said doctors' forum had organised all those blood donation camps at teaching and district hospitals across the province.

Provincial Minister Liaquat Shabab and other party leaders donated blood at a camp set up at district headquarters hospital Nowshera. More than 500 party workers and leaders, including district general secretary Advocate Farooq, Malik Ghulam Hazrat, Nigaar Rauf, Ishaq Khattak, Mian Ajmal Shah Kakakhel, Mian Akmal Shah Kakakhel, Imran Tabassum and Abdul Bashar Partacha donated blood at the camp.

Mr Shabab said PPP would continue its political struggle against leftovers of dictators.

Charsadda PPP also organised blood donation camps at district headquarters hospital, where PPP district president Khanimullah Khan, Naeem Khan Umerzai, Taimur Khattak and others donated blood. Earlier, PPP workers held Quarankhwani for the soul of their leader and paid her tributes for her struggle against the enemies of Pakistan, constitution and democracy.

Parachinar PPP also organised Qurankhwani for the departed soul of Benazir Bhutto. Mirza Khan Jihadi, general secretary of PPP Fata, Hamid Hussain Toori, Qurban Ali and others spoke on the occasion and threw light on the sacrifices of Bhuttos.

Shangla PPP organised a ceremony on the occasion in Peshawar. Addressing the ceremony NWFP PPP vice president Afsarul Mulk said that people of Shangla district were yet to get any relief as Rs5,000 cash amount provided by the government was going into wrong hands.

He said that many people of the district had expressed dissatisfaction over the distribution of relief goods and cash. The people had complained that they were being asked to pay bribes to get relief item and money, he said.