By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Nowdero (Pakistan) : Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif told Benazir Bhutto’s party workers here, near Larkana town in Sind, Saturday that she was like his “sister” and he shared their grief at her assassination.
Accompanied by political leaders, Sharif visited Bhutto House to condole the death of Benazir Bhutto, also a former prime minister. “She was my sister and I share your grief and am with you in this hour of trial,” he told Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers as they shouted “Revenge, revenge, revenge”, and raised slogans against President Pervez Musharraf.
Sharif was accompanied by almost 40 political leaders, including some senior members of regional parties from North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan, and members of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM). Several media persons also accompanied Sharif to Larkana in a chartered plane.
Earlier, Sharif announced he would attend the funeral of Bhutto in Larkana but was stopped by Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari, who said that there could be a security issue. This is Sharif’s first visit to the area since he joined politics in 1982.
Sharif was also among the first to reach Rawalpindi General Hospital on Thursday, only 15 minutes after Bhutto’s death. He was in Rawalpindi addressing a public rally a few kilometres from Bhutto’s election rally that day. His rally was fired upon, killing four party workers and injuring 10.
At Bhutto House, Sharif was received by Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari and met other members of the family, including her son Bilawal and nephew Zuilfikar Ali Bhutto (Junior).
On his arrival, PPP workers raised slogans like “Long live Bhutto” and “Long live PPP”. Sharif announced that he has come here to express his solidarity with the Bhutto family and the people of Sindh.