LARKANA, Feb 3: A 35-member delegation of Women’s Action Forum (WAF), led by Anis Haroon, director of Aurat Foundation, visited Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto on Sunday to pay respects to the slain leader Benazir Bhutto.

They offered condolences to the relatives of Ms Bhutto and party leaders in Naudero. The delegation included women activists of the civil society also met with representatives of civil society at Larkana Press Club.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Haroon said: “We are with the people of Sindh in the hour of their grief. Martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto was not loss of Sindh only but of entire country. We must sit together now and establish contacts with each other for the cause of democracy and integrity of the country” she added.

Ms Bhutto stood for the rights of the masses and downtrodden people of the country whom she represented, Ms Haroon said.

She said that the people found a ray of hope in Benazir Bhutto and that was why they rallied round her but the enemies of democracy did not tolerate it and assassinated her.

The grief should now be transformed into hope and people should continue the mission of Ms Bhutto by standing united, she said, adding that they did not believe in ethnicity or discrimination on any basis.

Ms Naila Rehman from Lahore said that it was difficult to believe that Ms Bhutto was no more with the people. Her mission was there for the people. Through her struggle, she paved the way for us. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, divisional organizer of PPP women wing Larkana, said that Ms Bhutto was a leader of international stature.

“We have resolved to avenge her assassination by bringing democracy in its true form.” She said that after her death people from all the provinces had visited her grave which proved unity of the people of the country.

Dr Sabiha Mughal of Khaksar Tehrik, Mukhtiar Samo, president, Sindh Educational Development Society, Javed Shah and Malika Khan also spoke on the occasion.

The other members of the delegation were: Fehmida Riaz, Atya Daudpoto, Amar Sindhu, Irfana Mallah, Fareeda Shaheed, Lala Rukh, Gul Noor, Nighat and Naila, Uzma Noorani, Nilofar, Kausar S K, Qmar, Nighat Khan, Akhtar Zia, Aliya Nasrin Siddiqui and Ambreen.

CHEHLUM: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Larkana chapter, in its meeting held here on Sunday appealed the people of Larkana to keep their business shut on February 7 and participate in the chehlum of Ms Benazir Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto.

The meeting of district working committee was presided over by Ayaz Soomro, District president of PPP Larkana, which reviewed chehlum arrangements.

Talking to journalists, Mr Soomro said that Quran Khwani would be held on the occasion and later food would be distributed at the mazar.

The heads of all the sister organisations other party leaders attended the meeting, which in a unanimously adopted resolution called for an investigation by the United Nations body into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

It also condemned registration of cases against Ayaz Soomro, Anwar Bhutto and Khursheed Junejo.