BAHAWALPUR, April 24 A big rally was brought out from Ahmedpur East on Saturday to pay homage after 40 years to martyrs of the Bahawalpur movement and demand a separate provincial status for Bahawalpur.

The rally, comprising trucks, cars and wagons, set out from Ahmedpur East town's main centre of Farid Gate, with their leaders. Participants were greeted on their route from Ahmedpur to Fowara Chowk.

A large number of people, including women, traders and lawyers, joined the rally at Fowara Chowk, from where the participants marched Circular Road in the scorching heat.

They were carrying banners and placards with their demands of a separate province and raising slogans throughout their route. At Farid Gate, the rally was addressed by its leaders Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Safdar Shahbaz, Malik Habibullah Bhutta and Bahawalpur United Front's women wing chief Abida Durrani.

They paid rich tributes to Hafiz Muhammad Shafiq and Hafiz Muhammad Azeem Dadpotra, who laid their lives on April 24, 1970, for the cause of Bahawalpur province.

Speakers announced that their campaign would continue till the achievement of their goal.

They also announced taking out of a rally from Sadiqabad to Minchinabad to press the government for the acceptance of their demand of a separate province.

The leaders later laid floral wreaths on martyrs' graves near Mauza Dera Bakha, some 10 kilometers from here.

This was for the first time after 40 years that martyrs of the Bahawalpur movement were remembered on such a high scale.