KLF cancels launch of Abida Hussain’s book on Benazir

KARACHI: The launch of Abida Hussain’s book on Benazir Bhutto was canceled by the organisers of Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) after they were sent a legal notice by the former prime minister’s daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari.

Titled ‘Special Star: Benazir Bhutto’, the book contains details of various aspects of the late Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader’s life. It contains details of her early education, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s execution and her first meeting with Abida Hussain. It also covers Benazir’s first and second tenure as the prime minister, leading to her exile.

Benazir’s daughter Bakhtawar called the book full of lies and fabrications and alleged that the author tried to portray a wrong image of her mother and based the book on a fake affiliation with her.

Bakhtawar also criticised Abida Hussain for writing the book 10 years after her mother’s death when she cannot defend herself.

“Absolute lies against my mother, 10 years after her death, when she cannot defend herself,” she said.

According to sources, KLF founder Salma Adil, Oxford University Press Managing Director Amina Syed and the author Abida Hussain were sent a legal notice by the former prime minister’s daughter.

Following the notice which warned the publisher to stop the launch ceremony, the book launch was canceled and Abida Hussain’s name was taken off the KLF participants list.

“See, we had published this book and we intended to launch it at KLF,” Amina said, “At present, we have canceled the launching of the book and stopped its sale as well.”

Amina further said that the book would go through a review process by experts and the future strategy would be decided later.

In her defence, Abida Hussain said that she had written the book in praise of Benazir and failed to comprehend what Bakhtawar found objectionable.