Tens of thousands gather for Bhutto commemorations

LARKANA, (AFP)

Tens of thousands of Pakistanis massed Friday near the tomb of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto on the eve of ceremonies marking the first anniversary of her killing, officials said.

More than 35,000 people had already arrived in rural southern Pakistan ahead of Saturday’s ceremonies at the Bhutto family mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) spokesman Ijaz Durrani told AFP.

People were travelling by train, bus, car, bicycle and even on foot to reach the site, he said. Hundreds of thousands were expected by Saturday.

Bhutto, 54, was assassinated on December 27, 2007 in a gun and suicide attack at an election rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, just two months after returning to Pakistan from exile.

Her killing threw the world’s only nuclear-armed Islamic nation into chaos, sparking violence and leading to months of political turmoil that ended in September when her widower Asif Ali Zardari claimed the presidency.

Zardari and their son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who co-chairs the PPP with his father, were expected to lead the procession of mourners on Saturday amid tight security.

Saturday’s commemoration ceremony is due to begin at 9:00 am (0400 GMT) with a reading from the Koran, the Muslim holy book. Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani are expected to address the crowd.

About 8,000 police, paramilitary rangers, party workers and volunteers have fanned out around the tomb to protect Zardari, his son and two daughters, Gilani and other dignitaries expected to attend, the PPP spokesman said.

Events in Bhutto’s honour will also be held in cities nationwide.In Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, visitors carried portraits of Bhutto, and vendors were doing a brisk business in Bhutto memorabilia, selling posters and CD recordings of her speeches, witnesses told AFP.

Zardari has ordered local officials to arrange for meals for the mourners, Durrani said.

Hundreds of tents have been set up to accommodate those who needed to sleep Friday night near the gravesite, a local police official told AFP.

The government has declared Saturday a national holiday in honour of the charismatic, Oxford-educated Bhutto, the first woman to lead a Muslim nation.