Thousands gather at Bhutto's ancestral home

31 Dec, 2007

Thousands of people on Sunday chanted anti-government slogans at the family home of slain Pakistan opposition leader Benazir ahead of the reading of her will, an AFP correspondent saw.
"Curse on Musharraf, Musharraf is a killer," the crowd screamed outside the ancestral ranch in the southern village of Naudero, where Bhutto's party was meeting later to chose a successor and decide whether to contest elections.
Benazir's husband Asif Ali Zardari told the crowd in response: "Benazir sacrificed her life for Pakistan's survival and democracy. We will continue Bhutto's mission."
Beating their chests, the crowd gathered on the third and final official day of mourning for Benazir, who died on Thursday in a suicide bomb and gun attack on a rally for next month's general elections.
Bhutto's son Bilawal and Zardari are both in the frame to succeed her as chief of the Pakistan People's Party, although one party official said Bilawal was not keen because he is only 19 years old.
Separately in Karachi dozens of people placed garlanded pictures of Bhutto outside her house in the southern port city, where party officials made special arrangements for public mourning prayers. "How many Bhuttos will you kill? Every house will produce a Bhutto," the crowd chanted.

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