As Pakistan marks the 18th anniversary of the Liaquat Bagh tragedy, families of the victims are once again reflecting on one of the most painful chapters in the country’s political history. On December 27, 2007, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a shooting and bombing attack at a political rally in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi — a site already etched in history due to the earlier 1951 assassination of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan.
The motives behind Bhutto’s killing remain a matter of dispute and unresolved inquiry, as even top investigative agencies such as Scotland Yard were unable to conclusively identify those responsible. On that day in 2007, Bhutto and 23 supporters were martyred, with several others succumbing later to their injuries. Families of the slain, many of whom continue to align politically with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), observe the anniversary with remembrance rituals, including Quran recitations, grave visits and commemorations at their homes where PPP flags and portraits of leaders are displayed.
Despite repeated calls for a proper memorial at the site of Bhutto’s assassination, no official monument has been constructed, perpetuating a sense of injustice and unresolved grief among survivors and relatives.