A great leader

Remembering Bhutto on his death anniversary

On April 4, 2013, the nation is observing 34th anniversary of Shaheed Zulifkar Ali Bhutto with grief and sorrow along with following the path of true democracy. Executing political leaders for whatever reasons doesn’t serve the cause of democracy in anyway.

The PPP leaders and workers have faced many difficult periods during military regimes, particularly those of Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Mushrraf. But the party remained intact and sustained itself as the major popular party of Pakistan. This was possible only because of the futuristic vision of the party’s founder Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who had a mission to change the exploitative system and give the poor and the neglected equal rights and share in the national fortunes. But he was not allowed to succeed in his ambitions and was executed for pleading the cause of the poor and guarding the national sovereignty.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the people awareness and courage to speak for their rights. He brought politics out of drawing rooms and attracted the teeming millions much against the wishes of the hidden forces which have always undermined the people’s rule. Holding the Lahore Islamic Summit, which brought the Pakistanis on one platform, declaring Friday as weekly holiday and banning liquor were among his important contributions to Pakistan.

Bhutto, the man who awakened and led the masses throughout his political career, the man who befriended the poor, exercised moral leadership and transformed Pakistani politics, was executed on April 4, 1979. His achievements can’t be forgotten. He was minster of commerce, informational and national reconstruction, fuel, power and natural resources from 1958 to 1960. He led Pakistan’s delegation to the United Nations in 1959, 1960, 1963 and 1969. He gave a statement in support of Algeria against French imperialism at the UN in 1959. He led Pakistan’s delegation to Moscow to negotiate agreement on oil and gas exploration with Soviet Union in 1960. He also differed with the US by not voting against China’s membership of the UN in 1960. He served as foreign minister of Pakistan in 1963-1965.

He gave PPP its manifesto with the slogan of “Islam is our faith, democracy is our policy, socialism is our economy, all power to the people”, in October 1966. Later, on November 30, 1967, he founded Pakistan Peoples Party. He also led Movement for Restoration of Democracy in 1968.

His other achievements include land reforms of 1973, Simla Agreement, Pakistan’s first nuclear Power Plant at Karachi, Establishment of NDFC, National Book Foundation, Port Qasim Authority, Allama Iqbal Open University and Quaid-e-Azam University. And of course who can forget that he was the person who gave Pakistan its constitution in 1973.

He was elected prime minister of Pakistan on August 14, 1973, and soon afterwards he made an agreement for repatriation of 93,000 prisoners of war from India in Bangladesh. He instituted Administrative Reforms Order of September 1973 and laid foundation stone of Pakistan Steel Mill on December 30, 1973. He also held Islamic Summit at Lahore on Feb 22, 1975.

Due to his daring work for his country, Henry Kissinger warned him that if Pakistan continued with its nuclear programme “the prime minister would have to pay a heavy price”.

Following are some excerpts from ‘Daughter of the East’, written by Benazir Bhutto in which she has highlighted the last moments she spent with her father:

“Why are you both here? My father says from inside the inferno of his cell.

My mother doesn’t answer.

Is this the last meeting? He asks.

My mother cannot bear to answer.

I think so, I say

He calls for the jail superintendent who is standing by. They never leave us alone with papa.

Is this the last meeting? My father asks him.

Yes, comes the reply. The jail superintendent seems ashamed to be the bearer of the regime’s plans.

Has the date been fixed?

Tomorrow morning, the superintendent says.

At what time?

At five O’clock, according to jail regulations.

When did you receive this information?

Last night, he says reluctantly.

My father looks at him.

How much time do I have with my family?

Half an hour.

Under jail regulations, we are entitled to an hour, he says.

Half an hour, the superintendent repeats. Those are my orders.

Make arrangements for me to have a bath and shave, my father tells him. The world is beautiful and I want to leave it clean.

Half an hour. Half an hour to say good bye to the person I love more than any other in my life. The pain in my chest tightens into a vice. I must not cry. I must not break down and make my father’s ordeal any more difficult.

He is sitting on the floor on a mattress, the only furniture left in his cell. They have taken away his table and his chair. They have taken away his bed.

“Take these,” he says handing me the magazines and the books I had brought him before. “I do not want them touching my things.”

Time is up. The superintendent says. Time is up.

Tonight I will be free, he says. A glow suffusing his face. I will be joining my mother, my father. I am going back to the land of my ancestors in Larkana to become part of its soil, its scent, its air. There will be songs about me. I will become part of its legend. He smiles. But it is very hot in Larkana.

I will build a shade. I manage to say.

The prison authorities move in.

Good Bye Papa, I call to my father as Mummy reached through the bars to touch him.”

Today both the leaders are not with us. They have left forever physically but their memories and guidance will remain with the people of Pakistan in general and the workers of the PPP in particular.

PPP, following the path of its leaders restored the 1973 constitution in original form, ensured independence of judiciary, freedom of press and sovereignty of the parliament. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the parliament completed its five-year tenure. The PPP also made historic amendments to the constitution.

The PPP will follow the slogan of Shaheed Zulifkar Ali Bhutto “roti kapra aur makan”, with the addition of education and health in the forthcoming elections.

The writer is in-charge policy, planning and media, PPP, Punjab.