NA pays tributes to Benazir Bhutto

ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto saying she had an international stature and was a world class leader. Speaking in the National Assembly on her birthday, which falls today, Gilani announced a number of steps that the government will take for national reconciliation for which, he said, she was a torch bearer.
The Prime Minister announced the formation of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trust, which will look after the children, particularly those from FATA, whose parents lost lives in terrorists attacks or by bombing.
“We have to pledge to the nation that we will make Pakistan a safe heaven for humanity and not for terrorism,” he added.
The Prime Minister also announced naming Islamabad International Airport as Benazir Bhutto Airport.
He said there were a number of airports around the world, which are named after their national leaders like Indira Gandhi, John F Kennedy and Charles d‘Gaulle.
Prime Minister Gilani told the House that Rawalpindi General Hospital, where Benazir spent the last moments of her life, will be renamed as Benazir Bhutto Hospital. He announced a special grant of Rs 50 million for the hospital for its upgradation. The amount will also be utilised for the treatment of poor patients.
Gilani said when he was a prisoner at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, he used to be brought to the hospital for treatment under strict security.
The name of Murree Road, he said, is also being changed to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road.
He said a monument will be constructed at Liaquat Bagh where she was assassinated, which will be a reminder to the people that she was a great leader who upheld democratic traditions.
The Interior Ministry, he added, will be asked to move a summary to the president to commute the sentence of those on death row to life imprisonment besides giving remission of 90 days to the prisoners.
The remission will not apply to those involved in heinous crimes, he added.
He said Benazir could have happily lived either in Dubai or London after the first attempt on her life in Karachi on October 18 last year.
“But she was a symbol of federation and belonged to Pakistan,” he added.
He said Benazir’s priority was health and that is why programme to combat hepatitis, which affects 20 to 30 percent of the population, will be started under the Prime Minister’s Initiative Programme.
He said the programme to combat the deadly disease has been included in the UN charter on Pakistan’s recommendation.
“We will prove that we are champions in programme on hepatitis.”
Recalling his 21 long years association with the party and Benazir Bhutto, the Prime Minister said he worked with her as Member National Assembly, opposition member, speaker and party’s vice chairman.
“I attended long marches, train march and a number of international conference with her,” he recalled, adding, “the leaders of her stature are born rarely.”
He said on her 55th birthday, the House was in complete harmony and no birthday gift for her could have been better than this solidarity which the National Assembly displayed today.
Later, Speaker Fehmida Mirza said Benazir was an icon of hope for the oppressed people of Pakistan as she struggled for their rights and democracy.
She said Mohtarma started the process of reconciliation.
She said that since a large number of members wanted to pay their tributes and respects to Shaheed leader, therefore, a register should be kept in the Prime Minister’s chamber in which they can record their sentiments.
Prime Minister Gilani, however, said that since speaker is the custodian of the House, the register should be kept in her chamber.