Benazir Bhutto’s daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari sets flowers on her mother’s grave in Larkana. Photo: APP. Photo Source: Express Tribune

A tribute to Benazir Bhutto

By Wajid Shamsul Hasan

It was the longest day of the year and happiest too for the Bhuttos when on June 21, 1953 Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was born. She was destined to rule the hearts and minds of millions of people. On her birth anniversary, I fondly remember my profound association with her that spread over a period of three decades. And in various capacities too. Obviously this places me in a unique position to write volumes on her and her achievements.

However, her horrendous assassination on December 27, 2007 left me shattered, battered and broken—rendered into perhaps – a living dead. When I think of her I am totally lost and poet Anne Bronte’s following lines – to some extent – represent my present state of mind.

Oh, I am very weary,

Though tears no longer flow:

My eyes are tired of weeping,

My heart is sick of woe.

Hers was the glow that kept my life ignited in the most depressing moments and has kept me going. Though that light has been extinguished by those who wanted to see disintegration of the country, she remains the symbol of the country’s survival against those that have been working to make it a failed state.

Her life was put to an end when Pakistan needed her most for survival. And this was the reason that she shrugged aside the threats of death that were conveyed to her through various channels—by those who saw in her return to Pakistan an end to their dirty game. Their warnings to her were clear—Pakistan had space for only one – either her or them. Her participation in elections would have meant defeat to them. She preferred to do and die for Pakistan rather than buckle in to fatal intimidations of the dictator.

Though born in one of the most famous political families in the Asian sub-continent, martyred Benazir Bhutto was tampered in an upbringing that could make her withstand most adverse pressures in life. And even death.

She was bright as a student. Her academic insight brought her success at Harvard and Oxford Universities. She wanted to be either a journalist or a foreign policy expert. It was fate that plunged her into politics.

I had the first glimpse of her when she accompanied her father, the then president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, to Simla for a summit with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to negotiate an honourable agreement for peace in 1972—peace that has kept the two countries away from war ever since.

As a member of the media team in Bhutto’s entourage, I spotted in her outstanding traits of a leader. Barely 19, she carried herself with grace, stately dignity and striking confidence. The coup against her father in 1977, followed by his judicial murder in 1979, catapulted her into politics to complete ZAB’s mission.

As the leader of the country’s biggest party – the Pakistan People’s Party – Mohtarma took upon herself the onerous challenge of completing the mission of transforming Pakistan into a modern democracy with equality for all its citizens—irrespective of caste, creed or colour—as envisioned by the Quaid and her martyred father.

Mohtarma laid down her life for the confidence she had in the people of Pakistan. “I am confident about the future of Pakistan. I believe that a nation that is inspired by democracy, human rights and economic opportunity will turn its back decisively against extremism. Indeed, I look forward to the day that a truly democratic Pakistan, unhindered by extremists and military rule, takes its place on the world stage” were some of her last words that I remember she spoke to me before leaving for Pakistan.

When Bibi appointed me High Commissioner to the UK in early 1994 she spelled out the assignment to me in detail. Concern about the Pakistani Diaspora abroad—especially UK—was upper most in her mind. I was directed to purchase Pakistan High Commission’s premises in London to give it a permanent home. I was told that many failed attempts had been made in the past. It was no doubt a challenge for me but I succeeded. And today the multi-million freehold property in the prestigious Lowndes Square that belongs to the Pakistani community is owed to her.

Among her other priorities were promotion of the cause of right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people, trade and not aid from UK and improvement of Pakistan’s image.

Today despite war on terrorism consuming most of our resources, the democratic government has achieved milestones towards empowering the people through its policy of reconciliation and reconstruction that was revealed in the Balochistan Package, the NFC Award, and the 18th Amendment to the constitution. All these steps have consolidated the fragmented nation and given root to our nascent democracy. We have still far to travel but nothing seems to be unachievable—if we persevere our determination to fulfil Bibi’s mission of making Pakistan a modern, progressive egalitarian nation-state will be fulfilled.

Source: Daily Times, 21 June 2010

Comments

comments