Remembering Benazir Bhutto
PAKISTAN had not witnessed a hero like Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto with such daunting magnetism until 1986, when the “Daughter of the East” decided to take on the military ruler after having spent years in exile. She was blessed with a natural charisma, due to which, she went on to create her own identity on world stage, without the trappings of her father’s popularity. She had come of age.
In my view, Z A Bhutto secretly admired Jawaharlal Nehru and hence imitated him in many respects, but this aspect shall be part of another write- up; here I would like to highlight, the grooming of BB under his tutelage, just as Nehru did in case of Indira Gandhi.
After having lost half of the country, and being leader of the vanquished, ZAB went off to negotiate with Indira Gandhi at Shimla, the return of the Prisoners of war and the vacation of lands occupied by Indian forces in the western theatre of war….and who did he take alongside him, not the First Lady, Nusrat Bhutto, but his “Pinky”. BB had just finished college from the UK. She received her first lessons on diplomacy from her brilliant father, under the full glare of the probing cameras of international media and hawkish Indian journalists. She carried herself with poise and dignity; and in no aspect was she any less than the demeanour and grace of Indira Gandhi.
At the young age of 26, she was catapulted into the politics following the unexpected judicial murder of her Father. BB transitioned over a short period of time into being a mature, intelligent, sagacious and daring leader, earning herself the respect of her followers, who had begun to address her in reverence as “Mohtarma”. Pinky had arrived. Benazir had in her an enlightened mind that was beefed up adequately with the iron will to push for a change from the traditional to the demands of modern age and times— just like ZAB. After all she was the first female Prime Minister of an Islamic State. She was never short on courage or foresight. Benazir represented “hope” for Pakistan, but that was short lived.
BB believed in firing then merely aiming; she was resolute in taking decisions, some of which on hindsight, were not so good. Her poor judgement of her own closest confidants proved to her nemesis. Her understanding of global politics and issues, made her a much sought after speaker at international moots, this was true in even in the years of political wilderness. She spoke at forums with full command of the subject, unlike some other Premiers, who usually resorted to crutches of shuffling papers , in full glare of the media, to make a sense of what they meant to say. BB knew how to hold the helm even when the waters were choppy.
Global leaders listened to her views with rapt attention and seriousness. She enjoyed great relationship with the leadership in China, the Middle East, UK and of course on the Capitol Hill. As an astute politician, in my assessment, she perilously committed a grave error by signing the “charter of democracy “(a sham of a paper), with those who had given her much grief, inclusive of character assassination of herself and unfortunately of her mother, Nusrat Bhutto, too. Politics makes strange bedfellows. It is likely she was influenced by Sun Tzu’s tactics of ‘ befriend the enemy of thy enemy ‘.
A wrongful attitude for a leader of her mettle and character. She should have known that no Tiger can change its spots. BB may have forgotten the heart wrenching picture of hers holding a baby in one arm and clutching the other two children by the other, standing outside the Karachi central jail, where husband was incarcerated, by the signatories of the charter of democracy…. The Awam haven’t. BB would have made a complete sweep of elections in 2007; and she as the Prime Minister and Gen Musharraf as the President would have made a formidable duo. Both were liked by the West; both were liberals, with moderate and middle of the road attitude. In short changing President Musharraf, she unwittingly short changed the destiny of this hapless nation. What followed her sad assassination and still continues to haunt and happen, is the result of a wrong critical decision.
Many decades back her father had written, “A politician must be patient and must also dare. At times it is not patience but risk and daring that are required. But the risk and daring must not smack of adventurism because it is fatal to play with the future of a whole people who repose confidence in their leaders”. Coming out of a successful public meeting at Liaqat Bagh , her decision to respond to her enthused supporters proved fatal. She then forgot her father’s words about the fine line between “daring” and “adventurism”.
If BB were to be alive, we would have had a better situation today. She had the skills, knowledge and competencies to foresee and manage situations; no point in time she would have appeared as an apprentice or trainee on the job. Her grasp of national and international issues made her the most outstanding leader of her era. Her progeny would do well if they would follow the ideals she stood for. She was never a provincial leader, she was the truest embodiment of a federal leader, who believed sincerely in national cohesion. Benazir Bhutto is dead physically, but her spirit lives and kindles in the hearts of her millions of followers. God bless her soul.
—The writer is a contributing columnist, based in Karachi.
