Benazir Bhutto excelled at asserting her right to rule. In a male-dominated Islamic society, she rose to become her father’s political successor, twice getting elected as prime minister of Pakistan. She would also be exiled twice. In the end, Bhutto was better at rallying people to the idea of her power than at keeping them inspired by her use of it.
She was a child of privilege and took the mantle of power from her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the fiery and magnetic founder of Pakistan Peoples Party, who himself would become a martyr of democracy when he was executed in 1979 by military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq. She inherited her bearing and physical presence by her mother Nusrat Bhutto, who came from a distinguished Kurdish family from Iran. Educated at Radcliffe College at Harvard University, she would also study law at Oxford University. Her family and close western friends know her as “Pinky”.
As a Muslim woman leader, Bhutto was almost an iconic figure in the West. But her actual career in office was only a populist spectacle and achieved little accomplishments. She said in her own words, “I am not one of those leaders who sell lies and buy time.” She also said, “No leader, no dictator could do what I have done.”
In a land so rich with diversified heritage, it is of utmost importance to keep the people and the country in peace, harmony and unity. This task is surely difficult and demanding. Only a person who is sensitive to the feeling of all the people and knows how to honour their values can bring them to a platform where they perform as a nation.
This humongous task has not been accomplished in the history of Pakistan by an individual or organisation, except by the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto. Her character, her personality and her role as a mother and the prime minister of Pakistan is a source of inspiration for many. Not only did she hold the four provinces in a united state but also worked for the improvement of women in a male dominated society. She upheld her progressive views and worked tirelessly to bring about a change in a society marred with discrimination against women and prejudice against various ethnic groups.
I strongly feel that the example of Benazir Bhutto should be followed in all walks of life. One does not have to be a woman to follow in her footsteps. She has laid down golden principles for all. She is a beacon of light even after her martyrdom.
ZAINAB MEHMOOD BALOCH
Kinnaird College, Lahore