KARACHI, Dec 26 As the nation marks the first death anniversary of former prime minister and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, a family living in a 60-square-yard rented quarter in Shershah is remembering a father, Aslam Nazeer, one of Ms Bhutto's body guards, who was unable to stop the assassin's bullet from reaching her, and died in the explosion that followed. His family now totters at the brink of survival.

Ramzan, Mr Nazeer's son, left for Garhi Khuda Baksh on Friday to mourn the death of the PPP chairperson. His family in Karachi is praying for the departed souls of both Ms Bhutto and Mr Nazeer, and for their own survival.The family has a history of political activism, and has always been loyal to the PPP. The deceased's father, Mohammad Nazeer, served Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and his son Aslam took up the mantle, working as a bodyguard for Benazir. On Dec 27, he was the only activist from Karachi to be killed in the explosion at Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh.

Rising from poverty, limited resources and social responsibilities, however, mean that this legacy is unlikely to be continued. After returning from Garhi Khuda Baksh, 21-year-old Ramzan, the eldest of Aslam Nazeer's four sons and two daughters, has to ensure his own financial survival before venturing back into political activism.

“I have been unemployed for a couple of months,” he says. “I started a job a month after my father's death, as I was the eldest amongst my siblings. I worked as a textile labourer till a few months ago, when I was laid off along with several other workers.” Ramzan's 18-year-old brother Zeeshan has had to help out, working at a local paan shop to help contribute some money to the family earnings.

“We tried our best to get employment for the eldest son of the family, but have not been successful,” says Javed Brohi, an area leader of the PPP and a close friend of Aslam Nazeer. “We managed to assist the family during bad times on our own, but definitely look towards our leadership for the families of Aslam and others, whose loved ones met their eternal fate while protecting Benazir Bhutto on Oct 18 and Dec 27.”

Life today is very different for Aslam's widow, Zeb-un-Nisa, as compared to 12 months ago. After being happily married for 22 years, the last year has been difficult, and has left her exhausted.

“We both worked to run this house and life was very smooth and happy,” she recalls of the days before Aslam's death. “He actually got contracts to prepare homemade bags for different industrial units, and that's how we earned and managed to save to some extent for the children.”

While she acknowledges that the PPP government offered the family Rs300,000 and an 80-square-yard plot in Islamabad to recognise Aslam's sacrifice, that assistance came seven months after the tragedy. By then, she had already been forced to pull her children out of school in order to cut costs and earn some more money for the household.

“Currently my two daughters are studying in 12th and 9th grade, while among four the youngest nine-year old son is also attending a school,” she says. “Since I don't expect anything extremely good to happen in the near future, I can't say how long I can let them continue their education.”

The people responded to the brutal assassination of the twice-elected prime minister, and gave the PPP an overwhelming mandate on Feb 18 last year. But while the PPP may now have both the prime minister's post and the presidency, it seems the tragedy on Dec 27 closed every door of opportunity for Aslam Nazeer's family.