Begum Nusrat Bhutto: a woman who sacrificed all
Begum Nusrat Bhutto has passed away. May Allah rest her soul in peace. She was a woman of substance who gave more to the world than took from it. She lost a husband, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, undoubtedly the biggest political leader Pakistan has seen after Quaid-e-Azam. She lost two young sons, Shahnawaz and Murtaza, both inspirations for their fight against dictatorship. She also lost, Benazir Bhutto, an icon for not just Pakistan but also women around the world. They say a woman’s threshold of pain is many times more than men. Begum Nusrat Bhutto was the living testament of this saying.
Ever since her husband came into political limelight, she was under attack in one way or the other. Be it propaganda that she didn’t come from a “good” family background to claims of her husband’s infidelity to many more, the woman was the rock in the life of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Just when she would have been looking forward to an easy life at the age of 46 in 1977, then started the struggle of this amazing woman. With her husband behind bars and sons in exile and senior leaders of the PPP acting upon their own “exit strategies” to save their skins, it was Begum sahiba who took on the responsibility of fighting a legal, diplomatic and political battle for the life of her beloved husband and his creation, the Pakistan Peoples Party. Had it not been for Begum Sahiba, the cherished goal of Zia ul Haq for eliminating Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his PPP would have been achieved. Zia ul Haq did manage to eliminate Zulfikar Ali Bhutto physically, but made him a larger than life, immortal political figure of Pakistan.
Before she was forced to go into a political struggle, Begum Sahiba organized the PPP’s Women’s Wing into a potent political force. Her role in presenting a soft image of Pakistan post separation of East Pakistan will be always remembered. Like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Begum Bhutto’s role in organizing the 1974 Islamic Summit Conference in Lahore can just not be overlooked. With more than 30 heads of states in Lahore along with their entourage including wives and family members, it was a gargantuan task for a country like Pakistan to manage such an event. Begum Bhutto and her team of women took care of the guests in a most successful manner. Not many know, even today, we do not have enough hotels in Lahore. In those days, handling such a large influx of guests was a protocol nightmare. Have we ever heard of anything untoward happening in the summit? Begum Bhutto can look at that summit as a feather in her cap. It is also sad that having organized such a large event in 1974, Pakistan has not been able to match the effort again. Only other event that comes to mind is the 4th SAARC Summit of December 1988, which also incidentally happened in a PPP government.
Begum Bhutto’s life post 1977 can only be termed as the embodiment of sacrifice. She battled for the life of her husband. She suffered brute force of Zia ul Haq in Lahore. She was not allowed to receive the body of her husband. She battled cancer. She was an important figure in the MRD movement. She lost Shahnawaz. She was in exile. After 1988, it could have been thought that she will have a peaceful life, but no! Our establishment and its cronies ensured that she suffer. From charges of corruption to scandals, they didn’t even spare a widow. They killed Murtaza during her daughter’s rule. I still remember 23rd September 1996, when after the soyem of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, MBB as Prime Minister read a statement in pin drop silence outside Bilawal House in Karachi. Begum Sahiba sat next to her. All she was doing was crying, and laid her hand on her head, a sign of utmost grief and helplessness. How unfortunate this woman was. She lost a son during her daughter’s rule, could not attend the funeral of her son and the allegation of killing him was on her son in law! By killing Murtaza Bhutto, the establishment achieved their goal of getting rid of MBB for the second time.
Even though she won her seat in the 1997 general elections, she became increasingly withdrawn because of her Alzheimer’s disease. She was moved to Dubai when MBB went into exile in 1999. According to insiders, she had lost all her memory. She was living dead. She may not even know that she lost her beloved Benazir as well to the same people who killed her husband and sons.
Begum Sahiba will remain an inspiration to the political workers of Pakistan in general and PPP workers in particular. We have lost a woman who not just led us but also inspired us in our struggle for democracy. May Allah rest her soul in peace. Amen.
Begum Nusrat Bhutto Buried
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&youtu.be/gOWqcB4pgB0
May all those be damned who caused pain to Begum Nusrat Bhutto by forging & distributing defaming pictures and other propaganda about her.
May all those (fake) liberal elite be damned who left Begum Nusrat Bhutto alone during her ordeals (ZAB & Murtaz’s death, BB’s dismissals)
Jauhar Mir on Nusrat Bhutto’s return to Sindh after ZAB’s execution by the military state (Teen Jeem):
Islamabad ke Kufe se meiN Sindh Madine aai hooN
Mat pucho kia kho aai hooN
Mat poocho meiN kia laaee hooN
Kuch manzar heiN kuch yaadeiN heiN
Kuch aansoo kuch faryadeiN heiN
Kuch lamhoN ki saughaateiN heiN
Kuch ghariyoN ki rudaadeiN heiN
Kuch sangzanoN ke tohfay heiN
Jo kuch bhi mila lai aaee hooN
Islamabad ke Kufe se meiN Sindh Madine aai hooN
(via Twitter)
“I know that my husband was not hanged, they killed him in jail and I fear they will also kill Murtaza and Benazir because they want to finish the whole Bhutto family”.
Hamid Mir
Monday, October 24, 2011
ISLAMABAD: “I know that my husband was not hanged, they killed him in jail and I fear they will also kill Murtaza and Benazir because they want to finish the whole Bhutto family”.
These were the words late Begum Nusrat Bhutto said to me in 1995. She was the wife of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, mother of another prime minister Benazir Bhutto and mother-in-law of President Asif Ali Zardari — yet her life was full of pain and miseries. She bravely faced the deaths of her husband and younger son Mir Shah Nawaz Bhutto but virtually collapsed after the murder of her elder son Mir Murtaza Bhutto. She left this world on October 23, 2011 at the age of 82 with many historical secrets in her heart.
Begum Nusrat Bhutto met her husband Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto 41 times in central jail Rawalpindi between May 19, 1978 and April 3, 1979. Her husband made it clear to her he was not interested in seeking pardon and that his family must be ready for a long political and legal battle.
One Libyan diplomat contacted her through a lawyer of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and delivered her a message from Libyan ruler Muammer Qaddafi who offered to release her husband in a commando operation. Another Palestinian diplomat also gave a similar idea to Begum Nusrat Bhutto. She gave these messages to her husband in jail but Bhutto said: “I am not a coward, I don’t want to escape and take refuge in any other country. I would like to be killed by the Army and not by history”.
She filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court against martial law but the court approved martial law. Her name became part of our legal history as the “Nusrat Bhutto vs. Chief of Army Staff Case.” Begum Nusrat Bhutto never gave up after the death of her husband. She took over Pakistan People’s Party as its chairperson and then led a remarkable struggle against the military regime.
She was the first woman head of a political party in Pakistan. She led a historic rally in Qaddafi stadium in 1978 where she was attacked by the Lahore police and her head was fractured in the baton charge.
She launched the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) on February 6, 1981 at 70 Clifton, Karachi with Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Khawaja Khairudin, Meraj Muhammad Khan, Fatehyab Ali Khan, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan and others. After a few days Sardar from Azad Kashmir ditched Begum Nusrat Bhutto and joined hands with General Ziaul Haq. Begum sahiba approached Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Asghar Khan and Rasul Bakhsh Palijo and many others. She lost one party and convinced many big political guns to fight for democracy. She became a threat to military regime and then she was imprisoned.
I interviewed Begum Nusrat Bhutto many times between 1987 and 1995 but she stopped speaking to the media after the assassination of her son Mir Murtaza Bhutto. Once she told me how she met Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for the first time. She was only 11 when she met the Bhutto family at Khandala, a tourist resort near Mumbai. One sister of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became friend of young Nusrat. Her name was Munawarul Islam. Nusrat and Munawar remained in contact with each other but she never met young Zulfi for the next 9 years. She studied at St Joseph College Karachi with her sister Behjat and Syeda Akhtar Zehra Isphahani, the mother of Farah Naz Isphahani.
She met Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto again after 9 years in Karachi in the wedding of Munawarul Islam in 1949. Nusrat was a captain in the National Guard at that time. Zulfi was impressed to see her in Army uniform. He proposed her when he was a student at Oxford University in England in 1951. There was a problem. Zulfi was already married. Nusrat refused to marry Zulfi. One day he met her father Mirza Muhammad Najaf at his residence and explained that he was married in the family when he was only 14 years. He had no children from his first marriage.
Zulfi promised that he would keep Nusrat happy for the whole life. Mirza Muhammad Najaf was satisfied and then he convinced his daughter that there is no harm in marrying Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. It is also important that Zulfi never married second time secretly. He informed his first wife Ameer Begum that he was going to marry again but he never disclosed anything about Nusrat. When Zulfi and Nusrat got married in 1951 Ameer Begum’s father invited them to a dinner. It was a good beginning. Nusrat never had any problem with Ameer Begum for the rest of her life.
The young couple spent some good time together in Paris and Rome for honeymoon and then moved to Oxford. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was living in hostel and Nusrat was living in a hotel. Zulfi used to address his wife as “Nusratam” which meant my Nusrat. It was a difficult time for them but both were very happy on the birth of their first child Benazir in 1953. Nusrat was a close friend of Naheed Mirza who was wife of Governor General Sikandar Mirza and that was how young Bhutto was introduced to General Ayub Khan who later appointed him as his commerce minister and then foreign minister.
She played a very important political role after 1967 when her husband resigned from the Ayub cabinet after Tashkent agreement with India. She organised the women wing of PPP with Begum Nadir Khan Khakwani (mother of Beelam Husnain MNA) Ruqqia Soomro and Begum Shehzada Suleman from Chitral. As the first lady of the country she played a very active role to organise the Red Crescent in Pakistan.
Begum Nusrat Bhutto was near to death in 1982 when cancer was diagnosed in her lungs. At that time she and Benazir Bhutto were imprisoned. She was allowed to go abroad on medical grounds and that was how she handed over the leadership of the party to Benazir Bhutto. It was Begum Sahiba who convinced her daughter Benazir to marry Asif Ali Zardari in 1987.
She always stood by her son-in-law except for a short period in 1993 when she wanted her son Murtaza to become member of the Sindh Assembly. She never believed that her beloved husband was hanged in Rawalpindi jail. She was sure that her husband was murdered before his hanging. She always wanted that somebody must investigate the murder of her husband and prove that the court verdict against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in a murder case was not based on facts.
Her son-in-law Asif Ali Zardari filed a petition in the Supreme Court sometime ago against the “judicial murder” of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto but she left this world without hearing the final verdict in that case
http://thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=9796&Cat=13&dt=10/24/2011
On recommendations of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, Acting President has conferred highest civil award of country Nishan-e-Imtiaz (posthumously)on Begum Nusrat Bhutto and the Government of Pakistan has given Nusrat Bhutto the title of “Mother-e-Jamhooriat” for her exceptional services for revival of democracy.
(Radio Pakistan @RadioPakistan Via Twitter)
One wonders how the posthumous award and holiday will rest Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s soul in peace.
The Saudi ruling King died and yet no holiday was declared to mourn his death. They regard their hard work more than their lost souls.
@Mahjabeen,
Firstly, I do not agree with the holiday, but you got to be more open with the Hilal-e-Pakistan. It is most unfortunate that such a woman who sacrificed so much has been awarded when she cant cherish it and accept congratulations on!
Regarding the Saudi Arabian example, it was the Crown Prince who died and not the King. You have got to be serious when you say “They regard their hard work more than their lost souls”. Hard work in Saudi Arabia is done by Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers. The Saudis make hay while the sun shines on them!!!!
At lease Zardari’s PPP should handed over body of Nusrat Bhutto to her grand son.
زندگی میں پوتے پوتیوں کو دور رکھا تو موت کے بعد تو انہیں شریعی، اخلاقی اور انسانی بنیادوں پر پوتے زولفقار کے حوالے کردینا چاہئے تھا۔ شاید زرداری کو یہ نہ پتہ ہو کہ جب تک زولفقار کی اجازت کے بغیر بیگم صاحبہ کا جنازعہ بھی درست نہیں ہوگا۔
Kashif Sahab, Subhan Allah. Where in the world does this become a Sharai issue? Who says that a Pota and not a Nawasa can perform the last rites? Has the Pota and Poti been barred from attending the funeral? At the end of the day, the body is to be buried at the graveyard of family members. No one is stopped.
How can you people think like this? This is in all honesty mindlessness!!!!
Were Fatima, Ghinwa and Zulfiqar junior barred from attending their phuppi, Benazir Bhutto’s funeral? They could be seen everywhere. They were there in the soyem as well. Why do you guys have to trivialize everything?
Beghum Bhutto was a victim of Teen Jeem:
She took her fight to the courts, forcing the Supreme Court in 1977 to acquiesce to the unconstitutional takeover by Zia-ul-Haq. When the courts proved pliant to military adventurism, she took to the streets suffering beatings at the hands of Zia’s goons and was regularly jailed or placed under house arrest. She bore the indignities heaped on her by a military dictatorship with courage. For that, she will be fondly remembered not only by the PPP but by all Pakistanis.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2011.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/280219/a-life-of-sacrifices/
Nusrat Bhutto’s death — end of an era By Shaikh Aziz and Habib Khan Ghori
A picture of the Bhuttos taken during a family excursion shows (from right to left) former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, his wife Nusrat, daughter Sanam, son Mir Murtaza, daughter Benazir and son Shahnawaz.
The death of Begum Nusrat Bhutto brings to an end an extremely turbulent chapter in Pakistan’s history. She was the country’s first lady from 1973 to 1977.
In 1989, when she was a senior minister without portfolio and acted as the prime minister when Benazir Bhutto gave birth to her second child.
In the roller-coaster world of Pakistani politics, Begum Bhutto saw many ups and downs.
Belonging to a well-to-do Iranian business family she had the good fortune of becoming the country’s first lady when Z.A. Bhutto assumed power soon after the dismemberment of the country. She also enjoyed pomp and power when Benazir became the prime minister.
But in the intervening period and even afterwards, she faced several tragedies with exemplary courage and fortitude.
Her husband was hanged after a controversial judgment, one son was gunned down in Karachi and the other died in Paris in mysterious circumstances.
But she continued to fight against all odds, leading her husband’s party, the People’s Party, from the front.
Nusrat Bhutto did not come from a political dynasty. She belonged to an Iranian business family which had trading houses in Iran, Iraq and undivided India.
Settled in Ispahan (Iran), her great grandfather had studied at Najaf Ashraf in Iraq and set up his business there. Once back in Iran, he rose to the position of Ayatollah.
One of his children, Mirza Mohammad, was born in Najaf but finally settled in Iran. He was a liberal man and wanted to change with the changing times.
In his youth, Mohammad visited Bombay and decided to start a business there under the name of the Baghdad Soap Factory.
It was in Bombay that Nusrat Ispahani, as Begum Bhutto was known before marriage, was born on March 23, 1929. She was the third child of her father.
Education in Bombay imbued Nusrat with a liberal outlook, although her mother was a conservative woman who wanted her to wear a veil after she passed her Cambridge examinations and began going to college. It was the veil which prevented Nusrat from pursuing higher studies.
During one of her family’s several visits to the scenic Khandala town Nusrat met Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto’s family. When Nusrat’s family shifted to Karachi, the friendship between the two families deepened.
At that time Z.A. Bhutto had returned from the United States after completing his studies. By then Nusrat had joined Pakistan National Guards. She married ZAB in 1951 in Karachi.
It was after her marriage that Mr Bhutto went to England for law studies and Nusrat accompanied him. Mr Bhutto was already married to Amir Begum and Nusrat was his second wife.
Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto had close ties with the family of former president Iskandar Mirza who brought Zulfikar Ali Bhutto into politics a little before Gen Ayub Khan overthrew Mirza on Oct 7, 1958.
Zulfikar and Nusrat were in Larkana when they got the message that Ayub Khan wanted to retain Bhutto as a minister. It was on Nusrat’s advice that Bhutto accepted the offer.
Mr Bhutto was sworn in as minister for natural resources, later as foreign minister. When Mr Bhutto developed differences with Ayub Khan after the Tashkent Declaration, Nusrat became closely involved in politics. She was active in organising the women’s wing of the Pakistan People’s Party.
After the overthrow of the Bhutto government by Gen Ziaul Haq on July 5, 1977, many difficulties awaited her. She had to lead the party and fight for her husband’s life. It cost her dearly.
As the only living head of the family, she took up the leadership of the party and also dealt with the cases in courts. However, she had to endure the shock of Bhutto’s execution on April 4, 1979.
At that juncture, her only consolation was her children. She left the country along with Shahnawaz, Murtaza, Benazir and Sanam, and remained in exile for many years. During the exile she got another shock, in the shape of Shahnawaz’s mysterious and untimely death.
Things began to look up for her when Benazir returned to Pakistan in 1986 after Gen Zia’s death. Nusrat always remained beside her daughter and helped her during her election campaign. In a way she was the main source of strength for Benazir who finally came to power in 1988.
Nusrat herself was elected from Larkana and her prime minister-daughter appointed her a minister.
Things went well for some time but then tragedy struck once again. During the second tenure of Benazir’s prime ministership, her son Murtaza was killed near the Bhutto’s 70 Clifton residence.
This shock began showing its effects and Nusrat’s health started declining. She was eventually attacked by Alzheimer’s, from which she never recovered.
Since 1996 she had been suffering from various ailments and was living in Dubai.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/24/nusrat-bhuttos-death%E2%80%94end-of-an-era.html
Difference between urban elite (chatterati) and Bhutto family: four martyrs. ongoing struggle and sacrifices against the military state!
بیگم نصرت بھٹو کے پائے کی اعلیٰ شخصیت شاید ہی کوئی ہوگی جس نے جمہوریت کے طویل سفر میں اپنے اتنے پیاروں کی لاشیں اٹھائیں ہوں۔
اعلیٰ پائے کے کسی گھرانے کی شاید ہی کوئی ایسی خاتون ہوں جنہوں نے اپنی زندگی میں شوہر اور تین بچوں کی لاشیں اٹھائیں ہوں BBCUrdu #NusratBhutto
For urban fake liberals and their right wing affiliates, public holiday on Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s death is an issue of visible concern.
Who has sacrificed more than Nusrat Bhutto for democracy and human rights in Pakistan? She deserves to be mourned, remembered and thanked.
#BegumNusratBhutto was a victim of Teen Jeem: Journalists ridiculed her, Judges biased against her, Jenerals killed her husband & children
#BegumNusratBhutto’s speech in Larkana as a part of election campaign for Murtaza Bhutto (later killed by ISI): http://youtu.be/zDnQRN59A3Q
….
Laibaah1 Laibaah
by AbdulNishapuri
How can we respect those callous people who were conspiring against BB and #BegumNusratBhutto when Murtaza Bhutto was killed by Deep State?
asadmunir38 Asad Munir
by AbdulNishapuri
History will not remember,those who left PPP,in times of crisis, they may be mentioned,but as traitors.Just c the respect for,the gr8 woman
marvisirmed Marvi Sirmed
by AbdulNishapuri
Wife of a Prime Minister, mother of a Prime Minister, struggler for life #BegumNusratBhutto
marvisirmed Marvi Sirmed
by AbdulNishapuri
Karo kaj jabeen ke ser-e-kafan, meray qaatilon ko gumaan na ho; ke ghuroor-e-ishq ka bankpan pas-e-marg hum ne bhula diya #BegumNusratBhutto
ravezjunejo Ravez Junejo
by AbdulNishapuri
‘Mother of Democracy’ Begum Nusrat Bhutto, wife and mother of two martyred premiers, has finally been buried. #Pakistan #PPP
marvisirmed Marvi Sirmed
by AbdulNishapuri
She followed the Husaini tradition of carrying the flag once the man of the family is martyred: Taj Haider #BegumNusratBhutto
دنیا کے ہر اصول کے تحط لاش کو اسکے لواحقین کے حوالے کرنا چاہئے، پیپلز پارٹی (سرمایہ دار گروپ) نے لاش بھی اغوا کئے رکھا۔ انسانی حقوق کی بدترین خلاف ورزی ہوئی ہے۔
I agree widh Kashif Naseer Bhai
bughz-e-PPP numayan ast az behs-e-tateel-e-aam
ReallyVirtual Sohaib Athar
RT by SamadK
@KamranShafi46 A deceased can be honored without a national holiday. Depriving our struggling country of billions of man-hours is not fair.
KamranShafi46 Kamran Shafi
@SamadK @ReallyVirtual Really Samad! But you r too young to know Begum Bhuttos huge sacrifices for democracy and how she was treated by Zia!
Laibaah1 Laibaah
Samad Khurram types who distributed & published private pictures of Taseer family are protesting against public holiday to mourn NB’s death.
anthonypermal Anthony Permal
I’m sure late Mrs. Bhutto wud want 2morrow spent making #Pakistan a better place instead of slacking off in her name #BegumNusratBhutto
BhopalHouse Faiza S Khan
RT by aliarqam
I should like to live in a Pakistan where Nusrat Bhutto’s death would mean more Alzheimer’s research rather than a pointless public holiday.
mosharrafzaidi Mosharraf Zaidi
RT @BhopalHouse: I’d like to live in a Pakistan where Nusrat Bhutto’s death means more Alzheimer’s research rather than pointless holiday
AbdulNishapuri
For urban fake liberals and their right wing affiliates, public holiday on Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s death is an issue of visible concern.
AbdulNishapuri
Who has sacrificed more than Nusrat Bhutto for democracy and human rights in Pakistan? She deserves to be mourned, remembered and thanked.
mazdaki Mohammad Taqi
@BhopalHouse Begum Bhutto dies every day ? And I am sure stem cell research was held just coz Sindh had a day off @aliarqam
BhopalHouse Faiza S Khan
@mazdaki When the more you tweet me, the more convinced I become of your…how do I put it, belligerent stupidity. @aliarqam
mazdaki Mohammad Taqi
Burger kids of Pakistan, plz let people mourn Begum #NusratBhutto .Yes it’s not a fad but that’s what we wanna do.Go savor ur sippy cups now
akchishti akchishti
Nusrat Bhutto was great & I condole her death but, declaring a holiday is just “unfair” & contrary to perhaps her own views. #PPP #Pakistan
Darveshh Darveshh
How many of these shameless hypocrites speak for Nusrat Bhutto when she was beaten by police? But a holiday makes the whole nation speak
shakirhusain shakir husain
RIP Nusrat Bhutto. I wish there was a better way for the State to celebrate her than a public holiday. #Pakistan
jadoon88 Umair Khan Jadoon
Nusrat Bhutto died. Here are number of f***s I give: ‘0’. And I don’t want a f***ing holiday tomorrow.
jehan_ara jehan_ara
I can understand that PPP wants the nation to mourn the death of Nusrat Bhutto but what is a public holiday going to achieve?
@Kashif,
Zardari tola (ZPPP) have no Islamic or moral values. For them, we need Imran Khan to implement Shariat on their hands and necks.
Chalo Kashif, khush raho. Just start writing more in English and you will become acceptable with urban fake liberals too
’بیگم صاحبہ کو مرتضیٰ کے قتل کا پتہ نہ چلے‘
اعجاز مہر
بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، لاڑکانہ
آخری وقت اشاعت: بدھ 2 نومبر 2011 , 13:54 GMT 18:54 PST
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ذوالفقار بھٹو کو اسکندر مرزا تک پہنچانے میں بیگم نصرت بھٹو کا ہاتھ نہیں تھا: عبدالرزاق سومرو
’بیگم نصرت بھٹو سے ذوالفقار علی بھٹو کی پہلی ملاقات کراچی کے ایک بینک کے لاکر میں اس وقت ہوئی جہاں بھٹو صاحب کی والدہ اپنے بیٹے کے ہمراہ لاکر سے زیور لینے گئیں تھیں اور وہیں نصرت بھٹو بھی موجود تھی ۔۔۔ نصرت یہ میرا بیٹا ہے ذلفی امریکہ میں پڑھ رہے ہیں۔‘
یہ بات لاڑکانہ کے ایک وکیل عبدالرزاق سومرو نے بی بی سی کے ساتھ ایک ملاقات میں بیگم نصرت بھٹو کے بارے میں بات کرتے ہوئی کہی۔ مسٹر سومرو ذوالفقار علی بھٹو کے ہم عصر وکیل ہیں اور ان کے خاندان کے بہت قریبی سمجھے جاتے ہیں۔ بیگم نصرت بھٹو کی یادیں مسٹر سومرو کی زبانی۔
اسی بارے میں
’بیگم نصرت بھٹو صرف روتی رہتی تھیں‘
’بچوں پہ چلی گولی‘
’نصرت بھٹوکی سیاسی جدوجہد کامرکز لاہور‘
متعلقہ عنوانات
پاکستان, سیاست
کلِک ’بیگم صاحبہ کو مرتضیٰ کے قتل کا پتہ نہ چلے‘: سنیے
’میری ذوالفقار علی بھٹو سے پہلی ملاقات انیس سو چھپن کو کراچی میں سندھ ہائی کورٹ میں ایک مقدمے کی سماعت کے بعد ہوئی جس میں ہم دونوں ایک دوسرے کے خلاف کیس کی پیروی کر رہے تھے۔
بیگم نصرت بھٹو کی ذوالفقار علی بھٹو سے جب شادی ہوئی تو بھٹو کے والدین کو ابتدا میں اچھا نہیں لگا لیکن جب شادی ہوگئی تو سر شاہنواز بھٹو نے ان کا ولیمہ کیا اور اپنی بہو کا خیر مقدم بھی کیا۔ بھٹو صاحب کی اپنےخاندان میں تیرہ برس کی عمر میں امیر بیگم سے شادی ہوچکی تھی اور وہ ان دنوں ممبئی میں پڑھ رہے تھے۔
بیگم نصرت بھٹو ابتدا میں جب لاڑکانہ آتی تھیں تو ایرانی طرز کا سیاہ برقعہ پہنتی تھیں۔ لیکن ان کی آمد بہت کم ہوتی تھی۔ بیگم بھٹو کے والد مرزا محمد اصفہانی جو عبدالطیف بھی کہلواتے تھے ان کا صابن کا کارخانہ تھا لیکن وہ بہت بڑے عالم بھی تھے۔
“بھٹو صاحب نے بیگم کو ایک ہوٹل میں ٹھہرایا اور وہ رات بھی وہیں رک گئے۔ آکسفورڈ کا اصول تھا کہ کوئی طالبعلم رات گیارہ بجے کے بعد باہر نہیں رہ سکتا تھا اور جب بھٹو صاحب کو غیر حاضر پایا گیا تو اگلے روز ان کی پرنسپل کے پاس پیشی ہوگئی۔ انہوں نے وجہ پوچھی تو بھٹو نے انہیں بتایا کہ وہ اپنی نو بیاہتا بیگم کے پاس تھے۔ جس پر انہیں پرنسپل نے بعد میں ان کے ساتھ رہنے کی اجازت دے دی۔”
وکیل عبدالرزاق سومرو
بیگم نصرت بھٹو ذوالفقار علی بھٹو کی بہن منورالاسلام کی سہیلی تھیں اور ان کی شادی کے موقع پر بھٹو صاحب سے ان کی راہ رسم بڑھی جو بعد میں شادی میں تبدیل ہوئی۔ بھٹو صاحب ان دنوں یعنی انیس سو اڑتالیس میں امریکہ کے برکلے کالج میں زیر تعلیم تھے۔ بعد میں جب وہ برطانیہ میں آکسفورڈ آئے تو اپنی نئی دلہن کو بھی ساتھ لے گئے۔
بھٹو صاحب نے بیگم کو ایک ہوٹل میں ٹھہرایا اور وہ رات بھی وہیں رک گئے۔ آکسفورڈ کا اصول تھا کہ کوئی طالبعلم رات گیارہ بجے کے بعد باہر نہیں رہ سکتا تھا اور جب بھٹو صاحب کو غیر حاضر پایا گیا تو اگلے روز ان کی پرنسپل کے پاس پیشی ہوگئی۔ انہوں نے وجہ پوچھی تو بھٹو نے انہیں بتایا کہ وہ اپنی نو بیاہتا بیگم کے پاس تھے۔ جس پر انہیں پرنسپل نے بعد میں ان کے ساتھ رہنے کی اجازت دے دی۔ بعد میں بیگم بھٹو واپس پاکستان آگئیں اور اکیس جولائی انیس سو تریپن کو ان کے ہاں پہلے بچے یعنی بینظیر بھٹو کی ولادت ہوئی۔ اس وقت بھٹو صاحب لندن میں تھے اور کچھ ماہ بعد پاکستان آئے۔
ذوالفقار بھٹو کو اسکندر مرزا تک پہنچانے میں بیگم نصرت بھٹو کا ہاتھ نہیں تھا اور یہ تاثر غلط ہے کہ مسز ناہید اسکندر سے دوستی کی وجہ سے بھٹو وزیر بنے۔ اصل میں اسکندر مرزا کا سر شاہنواز بھٹو سے تعلق تھا اور اس کی وجہ سے انہوں نے بھٹو کو وزیر بنایا۔
ایجنسیاں استعمال کرنا چاہتی ہیں
مرتضیٰ بھٹو جب شام میں تھے تو اس وقت جنرل آصف نواز نے انٹیلی جنس کے افسر اور اپنے بھائی کو ان کے پاس بھیجا کہ وہ جلد واپس وطن آئیں اور الیکشن میں حصہ لیں۔ مرتضیٰ بھٹو تیار ہوگئے تو بینظیر بھٹو کو یہ بات ٹھیک نہ لگی۔ کیونکہ بینظیر بھٹو کا موقف تھا کہ ایجنسیاں انہیں استعمال کرنا چاہتی ہیں۔
انیس سو سڑسٹھ میں بیگم بھٹو پیپلز پارٹی کے شعبہ خواتین کی سربراہ بنیں اور اُسے منظم کیا اور یہ ان کی باقاعدہ سیاست میں شمولیت تھی۔ جب بھٹو صاحب کو پھانسی دی گئی تو بیگم نصرت بھٹو اور بینظیر نظر بند تھے انہیں تدفین میں شرکت کی اجازت نہیں دی گئی۔
بعد میں جب جمہوریت کی بحالی کی تحریک ’ایم آر ڈی‘ کو کامیاب کرنے کے لیے بیگم بھٹو نے ولی خان، نوابزادہ نصراللہ اور دیگر سے رابطے کیے تو بینظیر بھٹو نے اس پر اعتراض کیا۔ ’انہوں نے میرے والد کو پھانسی دلوائی ان سے مدد نہ مانگیں‘۔ جس پر بیگم بھٹو نے کہا کہ ضیاء الحق نے ان سے دھوکہ کیا ہے اور اگر دشمن کے دشمن ملیں تو اس میں کوئی حرج نہیں۔
بیگم نصرت بھٹو رحم دل، نرم گو اور شائستہ انداز میں بات کرنے والی خاتون تھیں اور کارکنوں کے لیے ایک شفیق ماں کی طرح تھیں۔ بیگم بھٹو خود نمائی کے خلاف تھیں اور ایک مرتبہ ان کے نام سے جب ڈسپینسری کا افتتاح ان سے کروایا گیا تو انہوں نے اس کا نام بدلوا دیا۔ 1976 میں سیلاب کے دوران وہ متاثرین میں سامان آخر تک خود بانٹتی تھیں۔ ایسا نہیں کہ ایک تھیلا دیا تصویر بنوائی اور چل دیے۔ ان کی ایک بڑی خوبی یہ بھی تھی کی وہ وعدے کی پکی اور وقت کی پابند تھیں۔
مرتضیٰ بھٹو جب شام میں تھے تو اس وقت جنرل آصف نواز نے انٹیلی جنس کے افسر اور اپنے بھائی کو ان کے پاس بھیجا کہ وہ جلد واپس وطن آئیں اور الیکشن میں حصہ لیں۔ مرتضیٰ بھٹو تیار ہوگئے تو بینظیر بھٹو کو یہ بات ٹھیک نہ لگی۔ کیونکہ بینظیر بھٹو کا موقف تھا کہ ایجنسیاں انہیں استعمال کرنا چاہتی ہیں۔
معلوم نہ ہو سکے
جب مرتضیٰ بھٹو کا قتل ہوا تو میں متحدہ عرب امارات میں سفیر تھا اور بیگم نصرت بھٹو لندن میں تھیں اور عین اس دن وہ واپس پاکستان آرہی تھیں۔ مجھے وزیر اعظم بینظیر بھٹو کے ایک سینئر افسر نے ہدایت کی کہ بیگم صاحبہ کو مرتضیٰ بھٹو کے قتل کا پتہ نہ چلے کیونکہ ایسا نہ ہو کہ صدمے سے انہیں کچھ ہوجائے۔ بیگم صاحبہ کے لیے دبئی میں میں نے وی وی آئی پی لاؤنج کا انتظام کیا اور وہاں سے پی آئی اے کی پرواز سے کراچی آنا تھا۔ میں نے پی آئی اے والوں سے کہا کہ فرسٹ کلاس میں کوئی اخبار نہ رکھیں کیونکہ اس دن ہر اخبار میں مرتضیٰ کے قتل کی خبر صحفہ اول پر تھی۔
ایک دن بینظیر بھٹو نے مجھے، فخری بیگم (نصرت بھٹو کی بھانجی) اور فاروق لغاری کو اسلام آباد بلایا اور کہا کہ بیگم نصرت بھٹو کو ہم تینوں قائل کریں کہ فی الحال مرتضیٰ بھٹو کو روکیں اور جب الیکشن ہوجائیں اور حکومت بن جائے تو پھر وہ آئیں تو انہیں وزیر اعلیٰ یا گورنر بناد یں گے۔ کیونکہ اگر الیکشن سے پہلے مرتضیٰ آئے تو پیپلز پارٹی کو نقصان ہوگا۔ ہم تینوں بینظیر سے ملنے کے بعد بیگم بھٹو سے ملے انہیں قائل کرنے کی کوشش کی اور بڑے دلیل دلائل دیے لیکن مجھے لگا کہ وہ کچھ حد تک قائل ہوگئیں لیکن بعد میں مرتضیٰ بھٹو کا نامینیشن داخل ہوچکا تھا اس لیے بیگم نصرت بھٹو نے ان کے لیے مہم چلائی اور انہیں جتوایا۔
جب مرتضیٰ بھٹو کا قتل ہوا تو میں متحدہ عرب امارات میں سفیر تھا اور بیگم نصرت بھٹو لندن میں تھیں اور عین اس دن وہ واپس پاکستان آرہی تھیں۔ مجھے وزیر اعظم بینظیر بھٹو کے ایک سینئر افسر نے ہدایت کی کہ بیگم صاحبہ کو مرتضیٰ بھٹو کے قتل کا پتہ نہ چلے کیونکہ ایسا نہ ہو کہ صدمے سے انہیں کچھ ہوجائے۔ بیگم صاحبہ کے لیے دبئی میں میں نے وی وی آئی پی لاؤنج کا انتظام کیا اور وہاں سے پی آئی اے کی پرواز سے کراچی آنا تھا۔ میں نے پی آئی اے والوں سے کہا کہ فرسٹ کلاس میں کوئی اخبار نہ رکھیں کیونکہ اس دن ہر اخبار میں مرتضیٰ کے قتل کی خبر صحفہ اول پر تھی۔
جہاز میں بیگم صاحبہ کے سیکریٹری مسلم مل گئے۔ انہیں میں نے بتایا کہ اوپر سے حکم ملا ہے کہ مرتضیٰ کے قتل کا بیگم صاحبہ کو پتہ نہ چلے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ نہیں قسطوں میں انہیں بتاتے ہیں۔ وہ گئے اور پہلے بیگم صاحبہ کو بتایا کہ مرتضیٰ کے لوگوں کا پولیس سے جھگڑا ہوا ہے اور میر صاحب ان میں نہیں۔ بعد میں بتایا کہ میر مرتضیٰ زخمی ہوئے ہیں ۔۔۔ یہ بات سن کر وہ سن ہوگئیں۔
ہم کراچی پہنچے تو رن وے پر ہی جہاز کو روک کر ایمرجنسی والی سیڑھی لگا کر ان کو اور ہمیں اتارا گیا اور رن وے پر گاڑی میں بینظیر بھٹو، فخری بیگم اور آصف علی زرداری بیٹھے تھے۔ وہ بیگم صاحبہ کو لے کر پرانے ایئرپورٹ کے وی آئی پی لاؤنج میں چلے گئے۔ ہمیں بتایا گیا کہ خصوصی پرواز سے لاڑکانہ جائیں گے۔
مرتضیٰ بھٹو کے قتل کے بعد بیگم صاحبہ کو کافی صدمہ پہنچا اور بعد میں انہیں بینظیر بھٹو دبئی لے گئیں۔ جہاں وہ یاداشت کھوجانے والی بیماری ’الزائمر‘ میں مبتلا ہوگئیں
http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2011/11/111102_nusrat_memoires_2_rh.shtml