LARKANA, Pakistan — Thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto converged on the town of Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on Wednesday to mark the 17th anniversary of her assassination, a moment steeped in both grief and reverence for the late leader’s legacy.
Bhutto, the first woman to lead a Muslim-majority nation, was assassinated in 2007 during a political rally in Rawalpindi. Each year, her party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), commemorates her death anniversary with solemn tributes and large-scale gatherings at her family mausoleum.
This year, the commemoration began with a symbolic journey. Special trains from cities like Lahore transported supporters adorned with banners of Bhutto and her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the former prime minister and PPP founder. Vibrant displays featuring the party’s iconic red, green, and black flags draped the trains.
Prominent PPP leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Kundi, Punjab Governor Sardar Sulem Haider, and lawmaker Shazia Marri, were among the key figures who reached the family burial site to lead the tributes. Thousands more supporters, referred to locally as “jiyalas,” arrived in caravans from across the country.
In her lifetime, Bhutto was known for her eloquence and conviction.
“Democracy is the best revenge,”
she famously declared, a statement that reflected deeply following her father’s execution in 1979 and has since become a rallying cry for her party’s ideals.
“Islam is not incompatible with democracy. Pakistanis can choose progress and prosperity over extremism,”
Bhutto said in a speech just days before her assassination. For many, these words underscore her vision of a Pakistan grounded in equality, tolerance, and progress.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), paid tribute to Bhutto’s legacy, calling her “a champion of democracy” and “a staunch advocate of the power of dialogue and reconciliation in the political process.” Sharif also highlighted the significance of the Charter of Democracy, signed between Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, describing it as “a testament to her enduring legacy.” He extended his deepest respects to Bhutto’s family, particularly President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, for carrying forward her vision and ideals.
The solemn ceremonies kicked off on December 27 with the traditional placement of floral wreaths and the offering of prayers at the Bhutto family gravesite, where Benazir and her father rest. Security was heightened across Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, with stringent measures in place to ensure a peaceful event. Thousands of police personnel were deployed.
Her assassination remains a reminder of the volatility that can accompany political dissent in Pakistan, but her life, celebrated in these annual gatherings, continues to inspire countless supporters to strive for the ideals she championed.
“Pakistan is my country; it is my home. I will lay down my life, but I will never abandon this nation,”
Bhutto once declared, a sentiment echoed by her supporters, whose steadfast devotion to her memory endures 17 years after her tragic death.
