Bhutto´s husband rallies supporters

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-10-2008 15:33

Tens of thousands of Benazir Bhutto's supporters have gathered in southern Pakistan to hear her widowed husband speak at a campaign rally.

Tens of thousands of Benazir Bhutto's supporters have gathered in southern Pakistan to hear her widowed  husband speak at a campaign rally. (CCTV.com)

It's the first major rally held by Bhutto's opposition party since her assassination.

The rally comes after a suicide bomber in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 25 people at an election rally.

Thousands gathered inside a stadium in the historic town of Thatta where Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, made his speech.

Striving to fill the void left by former prime minister Bhutto, Zardari urged followers of her Pakistan People's Party to push for victory in the February 18th parliamentary elections.

Asif Ali Zardari, Chairman of Pakistan People's Party, said, "If they rig the votes this time, I will see to them. I want your pledge to be with me when I get thrown into prison this time, I want all you to come with me. You should always be with the People's Party."

The rally attracted more supporters than any rally in the election campaign so far. About two thousand officers were deployed to provide security.

Saturday's rally came a day after Scotland Yard released its findings that a bomb, not a bullet, killed Bhutto as she left an election rally on December 27th.

Meanwhile, a blast has gone off inside a hall in the town of Charsadda in Pakistan's turbulent North West Frontier province where Islamic extremists operate.

At least 25 people have been killed and 45 others wounded. It was the third suicide attack targeting politicians in the Charsadda area in just eight months.

About 200 supporters of the Awami National Party - a secular, ethnic Pushtu group - had gathered there.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei