June 21 1953, the glorious day when a peerless lady, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was born to the most successful and well-known leader of the world, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Mohtarma was the first child of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who as she grew up rose in power, from a post in Pakistan’s United Nations delegation to prime minister. She became so popular that even after 17 years of her martyrdom, her bravery is still alive in the hearts of people.
When her father was overthrown in a military coup and judicially murdered in 1979, Mohtarma was soon given the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) at the age of 26 and she became a strong hope for the people of Pakistan. During military government tenure, she spent half of her time in prison or under house arrest. She was arrested multiple times but she did not give up her dream of a ‘Democratic Pakistan’. Due to her struggle for democrary, Mohtarma was exiled to Britain. It was the year of sorrow when her youngest brother Shahnawaz Bhutto was poisoned to death in 1985 and for his burial she came back to motherland Pakistan.
Being a successful leader is not an easy job, you have to take care of your family as well as augment a country in every possible way. Despite being a well known political figure, she didn’t abandon her family, she carried both with courage and bravery.
After becoming Prime Minister of Pakistan and the first woman elected as leader of a Muslim state in 1988, she did her best to set back the country on developing path. She applied good foreign policies with global and neighbouring countries including India to maintain peace and improve economic conditions of Pakistan.
When women were restricted to only household stuff, she was the only female who arose as an iron lady as a head of Islamic state. Mohtarma’s government was dismissed under the 8th amendment of the constitution by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and a state of national emergency has been declared.
Like Abraham Lincoln said, Democracy is, ‘government of, by and for the people’. Similarly, Mohtarma didn’t give up her struggles for democratic Pakistan and sworn her second tenure as premier in October 1993.
During her tenures as premier, Mohtarma brought many positive changes in this country by improving the healthcare system, trade & foreign policies, and also empowered women of Pakistan by introducing female in every field, introducing banks for women, women police stations and also intended to make women court for genuine issues but when opposition observed her popularity, they resisted her. She came to be regarded as an icon for women’s rights due to her political success in a male-dominated society. It was the year of 1996 when opposition leader Nawaz Sharif started a campaign against her and her government was forcely dissolved again. Later on, she was exiled for 8 long years and her husband President Asif Ali Zardari was imprisoned.
On her return to Pakistan in October 2007, a huge crowd of people welcomed her which made everyone realized about her upcoming success in general elections. Unfortunately, on 27th December 2007 a painful day in the history of the World, ‘When A Hope Is Lost’. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had just addressed a rally of Pakistan People’s Party’s supporters in Liaquatbagh, Rawalpindi and the rally was rocked by an explosion and she was assassinated just a few days before general elections.
After that tragic incident her young and talented son, Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari assumed the charge of Pakistan People’s Party as Chairman. Just like his mother, he is devoted towards nation. He also served as Foreign Minister of Pakistan and gave his best to the foreign and diplomatic relations of Pakistan. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is following the footsteps of his beloved mother and became a new hope for the people of Pakistan. Soon he will fulfill his mother’s dream of a successful nation and developed Pakistan after becoming the youngest male Prime Minister like his mother as the youngest elected female leader of the Islamic State.
Mustajab Nazir Dhoki