Removal of 800,000 people from BISP grave cruelty, says Bilawal at Liaquat Bagh rally.

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday lashed out at the government for removing more than 800,000 beneficiaries from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), terming the move a grave cruelty on part of the government.

Speaking at a public gathering held to observe former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's death anniversary at Liaquat Bagh - the venue of her assassination - in Rawalpindi, Bilawal said the country was in danger and it was the duty of his party "to complete the mission of Benazir Bhutto".

"Benazir was a chain that united the federation of Pakistan, but this was not acceptable to her enemies," he added.

"Look at the state of this democracy. The parliament is locked, media is not free, there are attacks on the 18th amendment, the judiciary is not free," lamented the PPP chairman. "Terrorists may have been defeated but extremism is present all over the country," he added.

Recounting the struggles of his mother, Bilawal said, "Every street of Rawalpindi, all its walls and buildings and its land bear witness to what happened to Benazir".

"You people are witnesses to the atrocities faced by Bhutto. You are witnesses to how people's rule was ended. You are witnesses to the atrocities faced by jiyalas (party workers)".

Bilawal said Benazir continued the struggle of her father, confronted two dictators, faced 'selected' politicians and extremists but despite all that she "provided rights to women, freed the media and prisoners and also got missile technology for the country".

The PPP chairman said his mother had come back to Pakistan to establish awaami raj (people's rule) in the country once again but on "December 27th she addressed her last political gathering at this very ground".

"From one family, the father, two sons and then the daughter was also martyred."

Bilawal vowed to restore people's rule in the country once again. "Rawalpindi, bear witness for I will restore the power of the public, give rights to the youth and proper compensation to farmers for their efforts."

"I will continue the struggle of [Zulfikar] Bhutto and complete the mission of Benazir."

Before Bilawal came to address the crowd, PPP co-chairman and former president, Asif Ali Zardari, also addressed the gathering via a video message that was broadcast on a giant screen at the venue.

Speaking from a hospital bed, Zardari criticised the government for leading the country into its current political and economic situation. He said...