Pakistan marks second death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto

By Hamid Hussain

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The second death anniversary of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was observed on Sunday across the country.

A woman holds a portrait of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto during a rally to mark the second anniversary of Benazir Bhutto's death in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Dec. 27, 2009. (Xinhua/Bilal Malik)

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, and other leaders of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) reached Garhi Khuda Bux, a village in the Southeast Province of Sindh, to pay respects to their slain leader, who was assassinated on Dec. 27, 2007 in a gun and suicide attack after addressing an election rally, local TV channel GEO News reported.

Gilani in his message said that the life and death of Benazir Bhutto has become a torch light for the people of Pakistan because she strove for the restoration of democracy, public welfare, national security and political awareness in the masses.

Security has been tightened in Garhi Khuda Bux with special force men, Rangers and other security men deployed there.

Meanwhile, police have finalized a special traffic plan to facilitate the people coming to the memorial.

According to sources, the party leadership has decided to mark the ceremony with simplicity due to Muharram-ul-Haram and the central ceremony will be held at the Presidential Camp House instead of a public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bux.

Earlier, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, husband of Benazir Bhutto, said that the government is determined to bring positive change to the country as pledged by Benazir Bhutto.

"Two years ago on this day the tyrants and the extremists killed Pakistan's twice elected Prime Minister. She may have been killed physically but the ideas and ideals of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto shall never be killed," the president said in his message on Benazir Bhutto's second death anniversary.