LARK ANA: The 63rd birth anniversary of the slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was celebrated by the Pakistan Peoples Party here on Tuesday in which several leaders, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, praised her struggle and sacrifices for democracy in the country.

A large number of workers gathered at the Naudero House the ancestral home of the Bhuttos to commemorate their leader. A birthday cake was also cut on the occasion.

The CM paid rich tributes to her leadership qualities and determination to fight for democracy and peoples` right.

He said that Ms Bhutto was advised not to return on Oct 18,2007 to Pakistan, but she came and a sea of people came to Karachi airport to receive her.

Recalling the twin blast at Karsaz the same day in which 174 people were killed, Mr Shah said that she was a brave leader who visited hospital the next day to inquire after the health of her workers.

He said that she came for giving a real democracy to the people of Pakistan.

`Today, we do not see leaders like Benazir Bhutto who give sacrifices for the people,` he said, adding that her son, Bilawal BhuttoZardari was struggling for the people and the country like his mother.

Speaking on the occasion, Senior Sindh Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that the PPP was the strongest political party of Pakistan.He said that Ms Bhutto became the first elected woman prime minister in the Muslim world which was a record. `Now, we will elect Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as the youngest prime minister to make another record,` he added.

He said Benazir Bhutto followed in her late father`s footsteps to accomplish his mission and she fought against dictators.

It was the PPP which offered unparallel sacrifices to save Pakistan and Sindh. `We always fought against the enemies of Pakistan and would continue fighting them,` he added.

Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said that in 1971 former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had saved Pakistan and his daughter Benazir Bhutto saved democracy, while during the MRDmovement Nusrat Bhutto had saved Pakistan.

Ms Bhutto`s birth anniversary was also commemorated in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, where Quran khwani was held for her departed soul.

Former president Asif Zardari and Mr Bhutto-Zardari were not present. However, Ms Bhutto`s daughters Bakhtawar and Aseefa visited the mausoleum, laid floral wreaths on the grave of their mother and lit candles to pay tributes to Ms Bhutto.

Despite scorching heat, a large number of people kept pouring in and of fered fateha.

MIRPURKHAS: Ms Bhutto`s birth anniversary was also celebrated here and a big cake was cut atthelocalPPP ofñce.

Speaking on the occasion, formerfederal minister Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani paid rich tribute to Ms Bhutto and asked workers and supporters to implement her vision as `we should work for downtrodden people without any discrimination` He said that she a leader who had struggled against dictators and restored democracy in the country.

She was assassinated by anti-Pakistan forces, he added.

Ex MPA Shamim Ara Panhwer, Maqbool Khatyan and other senior workers and supporters attended the ceremony.

Another ceremony was held at Kot Mirus, taluka Kot Ghulam Muhammad in which ex-president PPP`s ladies wing Azmina Nazeer Chandio cut the cake. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of women workers.