Joe Namath once said;
To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn’t know where he is going.
And when it comes to talking about leadership in Pakistan, the only name that pops up into one’s head is the name of Bhuttos. For years the stories of the Bhutto dynasty have been whistling through the air of Pakistan, starting from how the first Bhutto, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali, stepped into politics and how his wit and power of his leadership helped the citizens of Pakistan generate more awareness about their rights and responsibilities.
Ms. Benazir Bhutto as in her Youth
The Bhuttos, hailing from Central Sindh, have some big names who served on distinct political and civil positions with Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto being the top most Government official. He served as the President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973 and Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. After his death, Ms. Benazir Bhutto (eldest child of Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) stepped up and took the command of his party. She stepped up at a time when there was no such exposure to the women of Pakistan. Women were not given the opportunity to pursue their dreams, but Ms. Bhutto brought change to the mindset and hence to the political, social and cultural set up of the country.
Ms. Benazir Bhutto
Ms. Bhutto used to say;
Leadership is to do what is right by educating and inspiring an electorate, empathizing with the moods, needs, wants, and aspirations of humanity.
Ms. Bhutto served twice as the Prime Minister of Pakistan but, due to corruption charges, she was removed from office on both the occasions under the order of the then President of Pakistan.
Ms. Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953 in Karachi. Her early schooling was split into Karachi and Rawalpindi. She did her O-Levels from Murree and then went to Karachi for A-Levels. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Government from Harvard University, USA. She studied Philosophy, Economics and Politics from Oxford University. She was the First Asian Woman to be the president of Oxford Union.
Ms. Bhutto had love for democracy and she always considered democracy as the only solution to all the problems, including poverty and terrorism. She once said;
Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.
Benazir in a Public Meeting
She had the courage to fight, and she did it throughout her life. She returned to Pakistan in 2007, despite constant threats from the terrorist. Even the attack on her convoy in Karachi, only a few hours after her return to the country, couldn’t stop her from going to public gatherings. While talking about the Karachi attack, she said;
Just before the attacks happened, I was very happy. The procession was one enormous party, the atmosphere was joyful, people were dancing in the street; it was magnificent. For me, that was the real Pakistan. We are prepared to risk our lives. We’re prepared to risk our liberty. But we’re not prepared to surrender this great nation to militants. The attack was on what I represent. The attack was on democracy and very unity and integrity of Pakistan.
Her close party members, fellows, fans and friends were always worried about the threats but Ms. Bhutto always had one thing to say:
Don’t worry; I’m going to be safe, and God willing I’m going to be safe.
But she couldn’t stop it!! She was martyred in a cowardly attack, just after her public address, in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007. With her death, died the democracy. The people of Pakistan lost a leader they always followed, her kids lost a mother they always loved.
The Daughter of the East
Her death left the whole nation, and the whole world, in a shock. The leaders and politicians from around the worlds condemned the deadly attack and expressed their deepest sorrows about the great lost.
It is not a sad day … it is the darkest, gloomiest day in the history of this country. – Nawaz Sharif, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In her death the subcontinent has lost an outstanding leader who worked for democracy and reconciliation in her country. The manner of her going is a reminder of the common dangers that our region faces from cowardly acts of terrorism and of the need to eradicate this dangerous threat. – Manmohan Singh, Indian Prime Minister.
Benazir Bhutto was a woman of immense personal courage and bravery. Knowing, as she did, the threats to her life, the previous attempt at assassination, she risked everything in her attempt to win democracy in Pakistan, and she has been assassinated by cowards afraid of democracy. Benazir Bhutto may have been killed by terrorists, but the terrorists must not be allowed to kill democracy in Pakistan. And this atrocity strengthens our resolve that terrorists will not win there, here or anywhere in the world. - Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.