Samina Ghurki Calls for Unity on Benazir Bhutto’s 18th Death Anniversary

Lahore Nazrana Times Ali Imran Chattha

Samina Khalid Ghurki, Member of the National Assembly from the Pakistan Peoples Party and President of the Women's Wing Punjab, has said that the ground reality has changed. Workers need to recognize this, they need to increase mutual communication and move forward together. The martyrdom of Bibi [Benazir Bhutto] was a huge loss for Pakistan; today we need unity and solidarity. She was addressing workers after a prayer ceremony held on the 18th anniversary of Dukhtar-e-Mashriq Benazir Bhutto, organized by the Pakistan Peoples Party Lahore at the Peoples Secretariat in Model Town.
The duties of moderation were performed by General Secretary PPP Lahore, Rana Jamil Manj. On this occasion, a large number of party workers were present, including PPP Central Punjab's Shahzad Saeed Cheema, Rana Jamil Manj, Ashraf Khan, Faiza Malik, Omar Sharif Bukhari, Mian Ayub, Chaudhry Riaz, Amir Naseer Butt, Arif Khan, Nargis Khan, Asif Hashmi, Zahid Alishah, Rana Ikram Rabbani, Afzal Chaudhry, Saghira Islam, Muneer Dagra, Sohail Malik, Rana Ashar Hayat, Javed Akhtar, Chaudhry Sajjad Nazeer, Meer Shakeel Cheni, Shahida Jabeen, Naheed Huma Nadeem Malik, Rana Shamshed, Mirza Idrees, Iqbal Goraya, Zeeshan Shami, Rao Shujaat, Sheikh Roshan, Rana Ikram, Khuwaja Nahid Mohal, Farhat Yasmin, Shabana Gul, Anjum Butt, Omar Ijaz, Saleem Mughal, Kamran Dar, Riaz Jatt, Aftab Bhatti, among others.
Qari Sanaullah led prayers for Bibi Shaheed and other party martyrs, while party Jiyalas (loyal workers) later lit candles in memory of the martyrs. Arrangements for langar (community meal) were also made for the Jiyalas afterwards.
Addressing the gathering, Samina Ghurki said, "I have the honor of working with Bhutto and Bibi Sahiba." Shahzad Saeed Cheema, addressing the gathering, said, "The Pakistan Peoples Party has been targeted in every era. In Pakistan, there are only two parties: the Peoples Party and the Establishment. Hasan Muartaza last year took the lead by running the Safar-e-Benazir train. December 27th is a day of grief and sorrow for us. Jiyalas will have to fulfill the requirements of loyalty to the Peoples Party."
Faiza Malik, Rana Ikram Rabbani, Javed Akhtar, Mian Ayub, Arif Khan, Asif Hashmi, Shahida Jabeen, and Sohail Malik, while paying tribute to Shaheed Mohtarma, said that the martyred leader earned her place in the party and the world through hard work and courage. "Today our struggle is for the rights of the poor and underprivileged classes." They said, "The martyr of democracy is not physically among us, but her ideology and vision are still with us. We must think whether we are fulfilling the mission that Bibi Shaheed gave us or not."
The speakers said that Jiyalas should come out of their offices, homes, and neighborhoods onto the streets. They further said, "The Pakistan Peoples Party has not ended; it is asleep, awaken it. There is an appeal to Chairman Bilawal Bhutto that he should maintain contact with workers via email."