BRIEF HISTORY OF LEGEND

By,

ADNAN MURAD BHAYO(former Vice President)Peoples Students FederationFederal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology Unit, Karachi

MUHTARMA BENAZIR BHUTTO

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was a Pakistanipolitician who chaired the Pakistan PeoplesParty (PPP), a centre-left political party inPakistan. Bhutto was the first woman elected tolead a Muslim state, having twice been PrimeMinister of Pakistan (1988–1990; 1993–1996)

Benazir Bhutto was born on June21, 1953, at Karachi's Pinto Hospital,Pakistan.

She was the eldest child of formerPremier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and andBegum Nusrat Bhutto.

She had three younger siblingsMurtaza, Shahnawaz and Sanam.

Benazir went to school in Karachi throughhigh school. She passed her O-levelexaminations at the age of 15.

She then went on to complete her A-Levels at the Karachi Grammar School

From 1969 to 1973 she attended RadcliffeCollege in the United States. Between1973 and 1977 she took a wide variety ofcourses in international law anddiplomacy, economics, philosophy andpolitics

Benazir Bhutto’s father, Prime Minister Zulfikar AliBhutto, was removed from office following amilitary coup in 1977 led by the then chief ofarmy General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, whoimposed martial law.

General Zia charged Mr. Bhutto with conspiring tomurder the father of dissident politician AhmedRaza Kasuri. Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sentencedto death by the martial law court.

After the overthrow of her father Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’sgovernment in a bloodless coup Benazir Bhutto spent 6 years in and out ofhouse arrest as she struggled to rally political support to force Zia to dropmurder charges against her father..

In January 1984, after six years of housearrests and imprisonment, Zia succumbed tointernational pressure and allowed Bhuttoto travel abroad for medical reasons.

After undergoing a surgery she resumed herpolitical activities and began to raiseconcerns about the mistreatment of politicalprisoners in Pakistan at the behest of Ziaregime.

The military dictator ignored worldwideappeals for clemency and had ZulfikarBhutto hanged in 4 April 1979

She came back to Pakistan to attendburial ceremony when her youngerbrother Shah Nawaz died undermysterious circumstances in July 1984 inParis.

She got married Asif Ali Zardari on 18December 1987 in Karachi.

The couple had three children: twodaughters Bakhtawar and Asifa and ason named Bilawal.

On 16 November 1988, in the first open election in more than adecade, Bhutto’s PPP won the largest bloc of seats in the NationalAssembly. Bhutto was sworn in as Prime Minister of a coalitiongovernment on December 2, becoming at age 35 the youngestperson—and the first woman—to head the government of aMuslim-majority state in modern times

Bhutto’s government was dismissed in 1990following charges of corruption, for which shewas never tried. Zia’s protégé Nawaz Sharifcame to power after the October 1990elections. She served as leader of theopposition while Sharif served as PrimeMinister for the next three years.

In October 1993 elections were held again andher PPP coalition was victorious, returningBhutto to office and allowing her to continueher reform initiatives.

In 1996, amidst various corruption scandalsBhutto was dismissed by then-presidentFarooq Leghari, who used the EighthAmendment discretionary powers to dissolvethe government

After her defeat in the general electionsof 1997, Benazir, along with her children,moved to Dubai because of a voluntaryexile in the year 1999.

She again returned to Pakistan afteralmost 9 years in 2007 during the timewhen General Pervez Musharraf waspresent.

The only reason she agreed to return wasthat all the allegations that she werefacing had been removed through acontroversial presidential order under thename of NRO – National Reconciliation

Ordinance.

Arriving back to Pakistan was indeed a huge threat toher life but nevertheless she returned to the delightof millions of PPP supporters and fans. Her corereason to return was her wish to participate in theupcoming general elections of 2008.

She landed on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on 18 October2007 and was welcomed by thousands of supporters. Sadly on herway to Bilawal House her processiontwo-suicide bombers blewthemselves resulting in over hundred deaths and leaving around 450people injured. Benazir remained unharmed as she as at that timewas resting inside a bulletproof vehicle.

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on the 27 of December 2007 while she wasdeparting from an election rally that was held at the Liaquat National Bagh inthe city of Rawalpindi. The incident occurred when she lifted herself out ofher bulletproofvehicle in order to gesticulate to her fans and well wishers. Asher head came into view an unknown person fired multiple shots, aiming ather head. At that moment explosions were also ignited resulting in thedeaths of nearly 20 people including three security personals. Unfortunatelyshe was significantly injured and was immediately rushed to the RawalpindiGeneral Hospital she died during treatment.

Her death shocked millions of her supporters worldwide and caused protests all through the country

May Allah rest her soul in peace