Remembering Bhutto

A mixed legacy

Veteran British politician George Galloway got carried away on Saturday when he said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the greatest leader the subcontinent had ever produced. A more balanced view was however presented by historian Ian Talbott who credited Bhutto for waking up the common man and for being a man of imagination. Bilawal was only partly true when he said that advances made during his grandfather’s government were repealed and Pakistan had suffered because of it. Addressing the party at Naudero Co-Chairman Zardari once again enunciated his policy of reconciliation.

ZAB’s legacy is in fact a mixed bag. He was no doubt a politician with a vision, though this too had its limitations. He is to be given credit for creating political consciousness among the masses and collecting together the pieces after the separation of the country’s eastern wing. Consensus on the 1973 Constitution, Islamic Summit, repatriation of POWs, initiation of the nuclear programme and a labour policy are all indications of a politician with foresight.

Bhutto however had a dark side too. The dismissal of the elected government followed by a military operation in Balochistan, decision to declare Ahmadis non-Muslim and numerous constitutional amendments for short term political gains define the limitation of his vision. So does the near blanket nationalisation which harmed the national economy seriously. In later years, Bhutto was to depend increasingly on bureaucracy while neglecting the party.

The PPP is in a bad shape today. The divisions in its ranks were reflected during the Bhutto anniversary in Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Mardan. Over time, particularly after the assassination of BB, the organisational weaknesses of the PPP have become glaringly exposed. What is gradually being ignored is Bhutto’s concern for the common man and his liberal vision. Unless the PPP is capable of retrieving the positive legacy of Bhutto while avoiding his tragic flaws, it would not be able to regain its lost position. Tactical cleverness which includes the policy of reconciliation may win a battle or two but could lead to the loss of war.