Nusrat Bhutto paid rich tribute

LAHORE

Rich tribute was paid to Begum Nusrat Bhutto on her fifth death anniversary. 

Different ceremonies were held in Lahore in which speakers lauded the struggle of Begum Nusrat Bhutto in Ziaul Haq regime. She led the PPP in 1979 when the party founder and the deposed PM, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was hanged. 

Nusrat had a very tormenting phase in post 1979 scenario as after losing her husband, she also lost her youngest son Shahnawaz in 80s, in 1996, she suffered the demise of her elder son Mir Murtaza, who was gunned down in Karachi and in December 2007, she lost her eldest daughter Benazir Bhutto. Her husband and three children died of unnatural causes. In October 2011, she breathed her last. 

A ceremony was held to remember the former PPP chairperson by the party loyalists. A large number of workers and leaders participated in the ceremony and paid rich tribute to Begum Nusrat Bhutto for her struggle for democracy in Pakistan. 

Speaking on the occasion, Faisal Mir said during her struggle against Gen Zia, Begum Bhutto was deceived by many PPP stalwarts. Now after her death, some of the ‘present-day’ PPP leaders, who were never part of Nusrat Bhutto’s struggle against Gen Zia, are declaring: “Begum Nusrat Bhutto is the legacy of the past and today belongs to us".

He said those PPP leaders who joined PPP by accidents are so much absorbed in their so called fame that they are not willing to recognise the contribution of Begum Nusrat for democracy.

But workers of the PPP, who fought against Gen Zia, are well aware of the fact that that it was Begum Bhutto who paved the way for democracy in the country. 

Faisal Mir said: “Had she not led the struggle against martial law, Gen Zia would have succeeded in disintegrating the PPP and all these ‘brand new’ leaders in our party would have been living in obscurity”. He said the recent political rally by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Karachi has demonstrated the he would fulfill the dreams of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. 

Former in charge, Peoples Labour Bureau, Abdul Qadir Shaheen said the greatest contribution of Begum Nusrat Bhutto was that she guided Shaheed Benazir Bhutto in such a way that she became a great leader and a brave daughter. Begum Nusrat Bhutto faced prison sentences along with Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and became the voice of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto against the false murder case. Workers upheld the flag of the PPP under the leadership of Begum Nusrat Bhutto during martial law for freedom and human rights, he said. 

Former PPP president, zone 154 Lahore, Dr Zarrar Yusaf, said he holds the privilege of working with Begum Nusrat Bhutto as her assistant and typist during martial law. Dr Zarrar disclosed that after the death sentence announced for Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in an effort to save his life, Begum Sahiba dictated him hundreds of letters addressed to international leaders. 

He said Begum Nusrat Bhutto shared grief of the poor masses. She was a source of enthusiasm for workers and she became voice of people of Pakistan. PPP leaders Shahzad Shafi, Aqib Sarwar and Ali Ahsan Awan also spoke on occasion.