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PPP hope lies with 3rd generation Bhuttoists

* Women bring to Benazir’s chehlum their grandsons to remember
a woman they never knew but whose memory they adore

By Irfan Ali

KARACHI: The chehlum or day to mark the end of a forty-day mourning period attracted droves of Benazir Bhutto supporters to Bilawal House Thursday but not all of them were people who had necessarily seen her in person.

For example, 12-year-old Tanveer Raza, who arrived with his paternal grandmother Zainab Sanghar, was a member of the third generation of his family to become a Bhuttoist. “[For us,] Benazir Bhutto is a source of inspiration,” said his grandmother, a resident of Moosa Lane, Lyari, known as a PPP stronghold. Eight-year-old Kumail, another new generation Bhuttoist, came with his grandmother, Noor Jehan Akram.

These families have been with the Pakistan Peoples Party for the last 30 years since the days of the leadership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of the party. There were fears that following Benazir’s death, the party would fall into disarray. “No,” insisted Akram when asked if that perception persisted. “There is no disunity in the party. Our unity remains intact.”

Ten-year-old Abbas arrived on his mini-bicycle. “I have come from Neelum Colony,” he declared. “I want to fly the PPP’s flag!”

Aside from the women and the young Benazir fans, others who showed up to pay their respects to Benazir included loyalists, who had been with the party since their student days. “Look at my son. My father was in the PPP. You know my political career and now it is my son’s turn to continue it,” said Qasim Niazi who is a known former office bearer of the Peoples Students Federation from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

It was an emotional scene as tears flowed freely and women dabbed their eyes. Some even sobbed out aloud and cried when the religious scholar offered a prayer at the end of Quran Khwani for the departed soul.

“Darkness,” replied party volunteer H M Ghanchi, when asked to comment on what he was feeling. “There is no light at the end of the tunnel.”

Ghanchi’s sadness was tempered slightly by the flickering hope of Qazi Shafiq Mahesar and Mohammad Khan Buriro who told Daily Times that they felt the third generation would help strengthen the PPP to accomplish BB’s mission. And, indeed, the young men were already chanting her name: “BB teray khoon say inquilab aa ay ga!” [BB, your blood will bring a revolution]. Their message was clear: Benazir Bhutto’s assassination should bring about a revolution that replaces a dictatorship with a legitimate democratic government.

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