KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged a ‘Salam Shuhuda Rally’ rally on Sunday to pay homage to the party’s activists and supporters killed in a blast at Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming rally near Karsaz on 18 October, 2007. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari led the rally atop the purpose-built truck that started its day-long journey from the Bilawal House. He was seen standing on the truck along with the two ex-prime ministers of PPP – Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf. The rally began from the Bilawal House and through Boat Basin, Mai Kolachi Road, Moulvi Tameezuddin Khan Road, Jinnah Bridge, ICI Bridge, Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road, Lea Market, Napier Road, MA Jinnah Road, Naumaish Chowrangi, Sharea Quaideen, and Sharea Faisal and finally reached the Karsaz intersection. Activists and leaders all the city’s districts have been told to join the rally at any point along its proposed route nearest to their respective residence considering their own convenience. Banners were set up on major roads of the city to spread public messages for the rally. A large number of party workers and supporters were also seen dancing to the tunes of party songs. The PPP chairman, while addressing the rally, said that he brought change in the province and if he was further supported, the PPP would bring a change in the entire country. “Benazir Bhutto was a ray of hope for the people of Karachi and on the other hand, a sportsman was handed over the job to hunt the lion,” Bilawal said – in an apparent jibe aimed at the rival parties. “Jiyalas need not to worry as the ‘arrow’ has left the bow,” he added. The people of Lyari, Bilawal said, have always stood up against every type of dictatorship and its peace was destroyed systematically, adding that they had always supported his mother and grandfather. Before Bilawal, party leaders Khursheed Shah and former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah also addressed the rally participants. Prior to the speech, the PPP chairman paid tribute to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and the victims of the Karsaz bomb attack. “Benazir Bhutto came to Pakistan as ray of hope for the public,” Bilawal said and added that the October 18 attack was an assault on it.