LARKANA: Activists of Pakistan Peoples Party observed the 16th death anniversary of the victims of Karsaz blasts in Karachi on Oct 18, 2007, by organising gatherings and Quran Khwani across Sindh on Wednesday.

In Larkana, a large number of PPP workers attended a gathering on Government Girls Degree College Road, where the party leaders former MNA Khursheed Junejo, political secretary to Bilawal Bhutto-Zardri Jamil Soomro and others recalled history of the PPP and its sacrifices for democracy. PPP and its workers would again propel PPP to power.

PPP women wing head Faryal Talupr participated in Quran Khwani and dua for the victims at Bhuttos’ mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto. Later, she visited graves of Karsaz victims.

She along with other party leaders laid wreaths on the graves of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, his sons, daughter and wife and offered fateha.

In Nawabshah, PPP a gathering was held at a private club where party leaders and workers listened to live speech of their chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on the death anniversary of the Karsaz victims.

Local party leaders Ziaul Hasan Lanjar and others paid tribute to the party founder, martyred leaders and all workers who sacrificed their lives for the country and democracy.

In Naushahro Feroze, PPP workers and leaders gathered at a private hall to pay tribute to Karsaz victims while in Sanghar, the party workers and leaders gathered in Gymkhana ground to hold a vigil for the victims.

In Hyderabad, PPP organised a gathering to pay homage to the Karsaz victims.

Senator Maula Bux Chandio said at the gathering that wounds inflicted by the tragedy were still fresh even after 16 years. PPP had also expressed solidarity with people of Palestine today, he said.

PPP Sindh information secretary Ajiz Dhamra demanded that world nations should act to stop genocide of Palestinians. Israeli prime minister should be tried for war crimes and murder of humanity, he said.

In Mithi, senior PPP leader Senator Nisar Ahmed Khuhro demanded inclusion of then Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and then Karachi Mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal in the investigation of Karsaz tragedy.

He was speaking at a large gathering at Sadiq Faqir Chowk, which was held to mark the Karsaz anniversary. He alleged that both the persons were equally involved in the tragedy.

He said that they were fully prepared to contest general elections and expressed anger over dilly-delaying by the Election Commission of Pakistan on the announcement of election date.

Other speakers praised courage of the workers who laid down their lives for their ideals. The rally served as a poignant reminder of their sacrifices, they said.

Similar programmes were held in Sukkur, Jacobabad, Khairpur, Kandhkot-Kshmore, Shikarpur and Ghotki where party leaders Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Mir Aijaz Hussain Khan Jakhrani and others said that PPP wanted people’s rule.

They said that Israel had attacked Palestine and Palestinians including children were calling Muslims for help but today there was no leader like Zulifqar Ali Bhutto to help them.

They said that PPP was a caravan of martyrs and it could not be intimidated. General elections were to be held soon and PPP wound emerge victorious again across the country to make Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari prime minister of the country.

They warned the people, who were brought to power by others, that PPP would not allow elections to be rigged again.

They said that PPP had always stood by people through thick and thin and in natural calamities like torrential rains, flood and coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2023