Islamabad, Dec 28: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will be buried at her native village Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in Larkana District of Sindh, near her father"s grave today at 2 p.m.

Benazir"s dead body was brought by a C-130 flight to Sukkur Airport from where it was taken to Moenjodaro by a helicopter. The dead body was taken from the Moenjodaro Airport to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh by an ambulance. Along with the dead body of Benazir, her husband Asif Ali Zardari, sons Bakhtawar and Bilawal, daughter Asifa, central leader of the PPP Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Shery Rehman and other persons arrived in Larkana.

Her family members and close relatives will have a last glimpse of the body before funeral prayers scheduled for 2 p.m.

Various groups are reaching Garhi Khuda Bakhsh from all over the country to attend the burial of Bhutto.

Bhutto, 54, was shot at and killed by snipers before a suicide bomb attack on the periphery of her carcade on Thursday.

Before her assassination, Bhutto had addressed an election rally in Rawalpindi. At least 30 other people reportedly died in the attack and several more were injured.

Bhutto, who was campaigning for the January 8 elections, had twice been the country's Prime Minister, in 1988 for 20 months and again between 1993 and 1996.

Her killing is likely to provoke an agonised response from her followers, especially from her loyal following in Sindh Province.

Bhutto was key to her party's political fortunes, as she was seen as a major political player in the forthcoming elections. The PPP has the largest support base in the country.

Rawalpindi, a garrison city, is seen as one of the country's most secure cities, making the attack on Benazir even more embarrassing for President Pervez Musharraf and the military authorities.

Bhutto had returned from self-imposed exile on October 18 after nine years out of Pakistan where she had faced corruption charges. On the day of her return, she led a motor cavalcade through Karachi. It was hit by a double suicide attack that left over 140 people dead.

 

ANI

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