Pakistan without Benazir is like India without Indira Gandhi: SAFMA

The South Asian Free Media Associations (SAFMA) India-chapter Secretary General Vinod Sharma has said Pakistan without Benazir Bhutto is like India without Indira Gandhi.

Lahore, Dec 31 : The South Asian Free Media Association's (SAFMA) India-chapter Secretary General Vinod Sharma has said Pakistan without Benazir Bhutto is like India without Indira Gandhi.

Drawing a parallel between the Nehru Gandhi and Bhutto dynasties, Sharma said: "Both families had sacrificed for democracy in their respective countries. They met with the same destiny in the annals of political history, as heads of their family were slain and the youngest ones had to succeed their forefathers."

"Benazir had played a vital role for the struggle of democracy in Pakistan, and her sudden death, had no doubt, created a vacuum in Pakistan's politics," he added.

Citing the example of Rajiv Gandhi's succession after Indira Gandhi death in 1984, he said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Benazir Bhutto's son, would fill the political loss soon in Pakistan.

Bilawal, 19, was named as the Chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Sunday.

Sharma further said that it is the responsibility of the people of Pakistan to continue her struggle of democracy till the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

He expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan over Benazir's killing, saying that she was a beacon of hope.

ANI