Daily Times

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan Monday described Shaheed Benazir Bhutto as a valiant political worker and genuine leader and her martyrdom was a ‘national loss.’

While paying tribute to Benazir on her 14th martyrdom anniversary in the Senate, he said Benazir Bhutto had the honour of becoming the first prime minister of any Muslim country and her passing away was a national tragedy and it was “not the loss of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) only, but the whole nation.”

He said, on behalf of the government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had great regard and respect for the political struggle of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, welfare of the common man and flourishing the nascent democracy. Leader of the Opposition in Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani paid tribute to Benazir, recalling her struggle for the rule of law and democracy in the country.

Yousuf Raza said it was the PPP leader who convinced former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif not to boycott the general elections as democracy was always much better than the dictatorship. He urged the judiciary to end the pending cases against Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto at the earliest. He also suggested the government to declare December 27, as a national holiday in recognition to her services and sacrifice for the cause of democracy, supremacy of the Parliament and the rule of law.

Senator Maula Bakhsh Chandio also paid tribute to Benazir and said she was a universal figure and a public leader who promoted unity, harmony and progressive thinking in the country. He said Benazir and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto protected the political and economic rights of the people. “It is the day to pledge for eradication of terrorism and extremism from the country and continue the struggle for strengthening democracy, supremacy of the Constitution and the parliament, and social equality.” Later on the Request of Syed Yusuf, Senator Atta ur Rehman offered Fateha for the departed soul of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.